


I put the 'charming' in Prince Charming

by Skylarium_Rose



Series: Princely Matters [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Allura & Lance (Voltron) are Siblings, Altean Lance (Voltron), Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, M/M, Magical Altean Lance, Missing Scenes, Sentient Voltron Lions, Slow Burn, Team Voltron Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-09-19
Packaged: 2019-06-01 03:43:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 86,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15134390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skylarium_Rose/pseuds/Skylarium_Rose
Summary: A’lanor (he personally preferred Lance) won’t lie, but his life was pretty amazing. Prince to a fantastic planet, son to the nicest and most gracious man ever, and little brother to the sweetest sister he could ever ask for. But when he is awakened from his extended sleep and told what has happened during his time under it feels like the will to live is lost. But the beings who found him, called humans, have fantastic determination and seem to be the way to save the galaxy and avenge his planet (according to Blue and she never wrong). Also, they make him feel like he and Allura have a family again and that is a fantastic plus.Stories of Altean Lance against the universe while finding friends and family in the new Paladins.





	1. New defenders of the universe

**Author's Note:**

> So a few things:  
> There is a 4 year difference equivalent between Allura (21) and Lance (17)  
> A'lanor is pronouced (ah-lan-dor)  
> Lance has the same color face sickles like Alfor but darker.

Lance can only distinguish two sensations at the moment; overwhelmingly oppressive heaviness that comes with waking up and the pinpricks of shooting pains of being in one position too long. As the weighted slumber falls from him he unknowingly collapses out of his cryopod. The next sensations to come to him are his eyes stinging from the lights offset by the comfortable warmth radiating against his back. Lance groans as he tries to raise his hand to shield his eyes, but is beaten to it with something blocking the light. Blinking, he’s able to finally make out that there are figures in front of him blocking the light and another is holding him.

“Are you okay?”

Lance turns his head to the concern filled voice and winces at his neck cracking. But it was worth it to stare into some of the most beautiful slate eyes and the most rugged scar he’s ever seen. Smiling, what he hoped was his flirty smile,

"I am now that you're here handsome." Lance coughs in a sadly rough voice.

"Oh uh…." And the guy – No. The man – blinks dumbly as his cheeks start to color a faint pink.

_Blinded by you again, you magnificent beauty you._

Lance thinks as he takes in his surroundings and sees the man’s other friends and the fact that they were all inside his Blue. Meaning that Blue saw them worthy of helping him and his people. Sitting up so he wasn’t sprawled out like a beached Mersoa Lance takes the chance to study the possible new Paladins. While he can’t see any problems with them yet, he can’t see any advantages either. Except the one in a red short coat. He looked like trouble and needlessly angry.

"Buuut where am I actually? And who are you?" Lance asks getting comfier as he leans more into the arms of the man who hadn’t let him go yet.

“Well we’re all humans and I’m Pidge.” The smallest boy states before pointing to the largest one.

“This is Hunk.”

“Hi elf guy.” He smiles and waves at him and Lance tries to return it, but his wave is a bit jerky.

“That’s Keith.”

The frown stuck on Keith’s face gets worse and Lance just glares back at him. And glares better than him too.

“And you’ve already complimented Shiro.” Pidge finishes dryly.

“Yes. I. Have,” Lance grins at his hero, “I am Prince A'lanor of planet Altea. But I prefer Lance. Rolls off the tongue better, if you know what I mean.” Giving him a wink just because.

“Hi Lance.” Hunk smiles wider at him as he waves again.

“Yes hello,” Pidge starts again and pushes Hunk’s still waving hand down as he continues, “Where you are is Earth, technically under the surface of Earth, but it’s the third planet from our star. Me and Hunk were listening to some alien radio chatter talking about something called Voltron when we saw something crash. Turns out it was an escape pod and when we went to check it out we found Keith helping Shiro out.”

“What type of ship?” Lance interrupts, but has a sickening feeling he already knows what type of craft it is.

“Oh!” Hunk raises his hand before describing the ship with hand motions, “It's was kinda of …of purplish - and it was a really angry looking pod, with like really really sharp edges and – ”

“The Galra?!” Lance cries out as he tries to jump up but stumbles into Shiro, who helps him stand.

_How could they have found me here?!_

“Yes.”

Lance focuses on Shiro as he forces the word through his teeth.

“They captured me and my team on one of our system’s mirco-planets and I don't remember most or any of it. But I can say I'm happy I can't.” He says solemnly as Lance sees his eyes go callous as he stares a hole into the floor in anger and disappointment in himself.

Lance takes a peek at everyone else faces and sees that this affected them all. Different levels of sorrow and irritation are displayed on the human’s faces showing him that they were all connected to this somehow. Going to soothe Shiro with a pat to his arm Lance witness what the Galra had done to him during his time captured and he touches it gently for fear of hurting the kind man.

"I am so sorry. I can't – "

But before he can finish Blue is trying to get his attention as her whole being vibrates and Lance takes a step away from the small group to place his hand on one of her walls and listen. He does take a moment to joyously greet her again after being asleep and feels cheeky too when he is proven right that the group she let in was to be the new Paladins, but his attitude soon sours as she tells him what else has happened.

“No it can't! How?" He grabs at the sheers wall as he whispers to himself, "It’s – we – I've been asleep for 10,000 years."

He slides down the side of the wall, only slowing himself from falling flat by gripping the wall. Lance can’t hear the new Paladins asking him questions and he can only barely hear Blue as she tries to calm him. His home is surely gone and along with it his proud father, his resilient sister, his comedic advisor, and his remarkable people and culture. Everything is destroyed and he didn’t know and couldn’t do anything about it.

**ROAR!**

"And now a Galra command ship is here!” Lance grounds out as everyone looks around in apprehension and Hunk freaks out asking questions and answering his own questions in the same horrified tone.

He knew what they were here for and they would have to kill him before he lets that happen. Awkwardly getting to his feet he grabs Hunk’s arm.

“Help me get to the command pod."

He stares only shocked for a tick before helping him shuffle down the corridor before Lance has his feet under him and he’s running to his chair. Bounding in he jumps into the chair and reaches for the flight-sticks and feels Blue resurge with power as her screens come alive. He hears the gasps of awe as the humans look around and preens with Blue at them being impressed until he sees how close the enemy ship is and Lance is no longer a young prince. He is the Blue Paladin.

"Brace yourself, we need to get out of here." And with that he throws the flight-sticks forward and watches as Blue takes to the skies again.

Amidst the terrified screaming, the uncertainty of outrunning the damaged ship, and also grappling with the anger of wanting to destroy the beings that had decimated his home Lance could somehow feel an overwhelming sense of peace. The sensation emerges from his soul and connection with his Lion, filling and energizing the prince with a sense of purpose and hope that he hadn’t felt in a very long time. He holds onto it fiercely as he powers up Blue for a jump to a set of coordinates she has given him, but he is not familiar with, and hopes his faith in himself and these humans has not been misplaced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I knew about this fandom when it first started, but only started watching it and getting into it this year and still have seasons 5 & 6 to finish. But I am so glad I did, though I wish I had started it earlier (but now there's so much Altean Lance content!). I plan to do scenes in between the episodes too, to create more bonding or angst (which ever I'm feeling at the time) between the team and those will be marked as Castle Vlog with the person's POV. Either way this is my first VLD story and I hope you like.


	2. I don't need instructions for assembly (Okay maybe a little)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Training is a lot harder than Lance ever remembers, but then again he has been down for a .... couple of years. But they don't have years. They have only quintents, maybe vargas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own VLD, but I will be using some of their direct lines for the rest of the fic.

The high vaulted hallways of his home seem to mock Lance in their silence. Once a lively bustling building, now there were only seven beings in the Castle and most of them were at odds with each other. They made it their mission to stay away from one another until dinner. This meant that their training was now going abysmally slow.

Lance sighs so deeply he feels his chest seize from it as he thinks about their 'progress'. 

Which was zero.

Nothing.

They hadn’t shown any improvement in forming Voltron or a team bond. They had tried to fly in formation, stack in what Hunk called a cheerleading pyramid, and even been shot at by his own sister! Then Coran thought bonding exercises would help, but it had gone spectacularly wrong with Pidge and Hunk bowing out and then him and Keith racing to the surface of Arus. Lance momentarily lost his connection to see through Blue in his competitive haze and crashed into the sandy dunes right next to his competitor.

Then there was the training deck. He didn’t even want to think about the training deck. While Hunk was still getting over the fact he had to fight Pidge didn’t even want to fight, more concern about trying to find his lost family members than saving the galaxy from Zarkon’s rule. But if he was in Pidge's place he’d do the same so he couldn't fault him for that. And as much as he wants to gripe about Keith the guy was a really good fighter and together they had stopped the Gladiator from taking a chunk out of Shiro when he froze on spot. Lance shuts his eyes against the memory of the fear and hopelessness in Shiro’s wide eyes. The one most prepared to fight Zarkon, succeeding the most in their exercises, was still the most scarred and needed the support of a team that didn’t want to be a team. He could see it, Coran saw it, Allura made it known she saw it as she complained to them after they had taken the Gladiator down because Pidge and Hunk were still defeated before they did.

Suddenly cooler Lance looks around and sees he’s in the landing bay for the Lions, specifically in front of Blue and Yellow. Sitting cross-legged in front of them Lance spills his heart out hoping one of them could give him an answer.

“Hey girls, I know you've seen how bad we’ve been failing at forming Voltron, and I’m not sure we even could. I – we’re all so lost. I should be able to do something! Right? I was to be a Paladin one day and I can’t seem to give any good advice. And Allura is expecting too much too soon and I know we need to be rushed but - but how do I bring together a team if we can’t even agree on the one thing we all agree on!”

Exasperated and getting his anger off his very tired chest Lance just falls back onto the cool floor and just lays there in blessed silence as he closes his eyes against the harsh lights.

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this, you know. We were supposed to be great at this, that’s why you chose them so we could save everyone now since we couldn’t then. I – I know they can be a great team. I’ve seen pieces of it but…Maybe you should have chosen someone else. Maybe I shouldn't have been chosen.”

He can tell Blue moves her head over him as the light behind his eyes gets darker and feels her gently nuzzling at his stomach, just like she did when he was a child. It honestly impresses Lance any time it happens as she is one of the larger Lions. He can feel the tingling of her pulses calming him down and letting him know it’s not over yet. The next mental nudge feels more like a swat and Lance had come to associate it with Blue telling him he is worthy and to stop wallowing in his self doubt.

Her _lovely_ thoughts, not his, but Lance finds himself smiling regardless of his own disappointment and pats her nose.

“Thanks Blue. I guess this situation is really going to give meaning to 'perfection through practice'. Or Shiro’s 'patience yields focus'.”

Then he feels another mental nudge like a series of soft pats and looks over to Yellow. She is also given him comfort in her own way as she doesn't 'talk' as much as her pride. Always the gentle giant until her strength is needed. He presses back a 'thank you' and laughs when he can hear her engines rumbling like a purr.

“Your highness?" Coran’s cheerful voice comes over the helmet ruining the moment between him and the Lions, "Dinner will be served shortly.” 

Groaning dramatically Lance gets up, pets Yellow's massive claws and Blue's nose once more, for luck, before picking up his helmet and leaving. But when he gets there he wishes he never left his Lion because the clicking of manacles close around his wrists as soon as he reaches for his utensils.

Lance is sure he has never been as exhausted as he was now or furious as he was now toward his sister. Because Coran can claim all he wants that he is the one putting them through this, but Lance knows who's pulling the strings and after a few failed times to get anything into his mouth he’s had enough. Just looking at them Lance is trying not to wince at the drowsiness and tenseness radiating off his team.

“Coran release us! This is ridiculous. We’re done and we need rest. Pushing us to our limits won’t do anything.” Stressing the last part toward his sister.

“The Prince is right Princess."

Lance's head snaps towards the end of the table in surprise at having someone else agree with him against Allura. He's almost sure he's blushing because of it, and he's not sure why.

"Everyone has been working really hard today.” Shiro tries to appeal to Allura’s good side.

“To an uncomfortable degree," Lance spits out as he latches onto Shiro's words highlighting everything he had seen that made him still believe they could be a team, “Pidge mastered the maze in the shortest time ever and then gave the best directions to all of us when we went. Hunk helped me and Pidge through the whole obstacle course. Me, Shiro, and Keith took on the Gladiator that wasn’t set for a child, but actually for a mid-year, Allura! And won. Shiro’s already bonded with Black. And Keith isn’t complete trash in the battle simulator either. He told us that a Kazrlgi Squikqwl was there before we even knew it. They've deserve their rest. They earned it!”

But after all of that she acts like she hasn’t heard anything of value. Lance has to clench his fists so he doesn’t throw something at her uncaring face. Coran shoots a side glance at her, but she remains stoically pouting and eating her food normally.

“Coran!” He shouts, making sure to sound the right amount of hurt by his betrayal. It’s how he got him to do anything for him when he was younger.

“Do not Coran.” Allura says primly, but Lance can hear the annoyance creeping in at the end of his name.

“Do Coran.” Lance snaps back, face twisted in a mockery as he glares back.

Coran looks back and forth rapidly between them with indecision on his face, but then actually starts reaching for the remote to press the button. Lance blames himself for looking triumphant because Allura yells at Coran again and he stands at attention immediately, without pushing the button.

“Allura! They are not your royal guard, you can’t order them around like this.” Lance pounds his fists on the table making everything and everyone shake.

She simply raises her plate and looks down at him.

“But they’re your team and you are not giving them any help in these trials either. Maybe if you put as much effort into helping them as you do with your nonsensical rivalries we would be further along.”

“First off, it's because they’re new to this and very tried! I’m surprise I’m still up considering I helped half the night getting the castle partially functional again. Second, you’re just as competitive.” He growls at her.

“That’s not a surprise really. You were always tired," She says ignoring her own pitfall, "And now you’re using it as an excuse to be lazy once again.”

“At least he’s trying to talk to us instead of yelling down at us from your 'Oh so high' command center.” Pidge throws in, looking at her with so much contempt Lance is surprised that Allura's hair isn't on fire now.

Coran gasps as he comes to his sister's rescue, “You do not yell at the Princess!”

“No he’s right.” Keith says and everyone nods along with him.

And that what broke the Yalex’s legs. Because one moment there’s food on Allura’s plate the next half is on Pidge’s face.

“I don’t think so,” Lance shares a quick mental conversation with Keith before yelling to Pidge, “Go loose, Pidge!” before dropping down as Keith hurls a bowl of goo at his sister hitting her square in the face.

And the beginnings of a food fight escalate faster than he thought, even though he knew Allura was as competitive as him.

“Enough! Do you see what you’re doing?!” Her taut voice hangs in the air and Lance is fearful of what she’ll say next.

“You’re finally working together as one!” And while it feels anticlimactic Lance let’s out a sigh in relief.

“Hey, she’s right.” Keith says actually smiling in his direction.

“I actually find you tolerable right now.” Lance shoots back with his own smile, actually liking this in-sync feeling they’ve got going.

“You guys thinking what I’m thinking?” Hunk say with a giddy grin as he looks around.

“Let’s go form Voltron!” Shiro calls out.

“Yeah!”

“Actually, I was thinking dessert. But, yeah! Let’s do it!” Hunk amends his thoughts before knocking them over in a heap at his cheering.

Lance can’t stop his giggles as he hears Coran finally unlock the manacles after the fall and as everyone else start giggling and helping each other up too Lance just knows this time and every time after they won’t need to worry about forming Voltron at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So with this being an AU and a rewrite some things will be tweaked. I'm not going all 'I wanted this so I'm writing that in' just changing a few things. Like character placement or someone else saying something someone else did instead. It's for the obvious reasons that Lance is now an alien and some friendship dynamics will be different.


	3. Keith vs Lance: Fight #1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They say rivalries can make great friendships. I don't think 'they' had us in mind when they said that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> O!M!G! I am speechless and so happy at the fact that we've gotten LGBT+ representation! I love this show and it's diverse cast as the main characters. And I think it's amazing that Shiro is the one to represent. He is a great role model, if talking about the US viewership he's a minority, and had a lovely relationship that was going to become permanent. I am excited to see Adam on August 10 and see what their relationship is/was.
> 
> Which takes us to the story — It's an AU so nothing is going to change. I had already planned to not have any romantic things happen until I got to the 4 episodes of season 2 that I'm doing, but I'll probably delay a few chapters until I see the flashback episode so I can see Shiro and Adam because I don't want to write anything that's not true if I decide to include him in this narrative. Especially about this couple, it would just be despicable on my part.

The soft whistling of a staff twirling bounces off the high dome ceiling of the training deck. The footsteps of the people circling each other are silence as the center of deck has been converted to a padded surface. Perfect for sparring.

 

Lance spins his staff between his hands to warm up his arms. And if it shows off his control that's an added bonus. But Keith looks the opposite of impress. Though he usually looks the opposite of every emotion so it's nothing new. Right now he looks more moody and angry than usual as he swings at the air with his daggar. Lance had been sizing him up, or at least he's tried to, when they go through team exercises. But he always seems to be caught up in trying to look better in front of everyone.

He wanted to be seen as a valuable member of the team even when he knew he lack certain qualities that would make him stand out. That should make him a Paladin.

He knew he was only okay when it came to physics and mechanics, but not anywhere near Pidge and Hunk. And beside Keith's attitude and personality rubbing him the wrong way he was the only person he could relate to, be a challenge to. Yet even that has failed. Lance is sure the impression he has shown was that of an uncapable prince and he wants the rest of the team to look at him differently. Especially Shiro. He not sure why, but he assumes it's the natural need to just impress the team leader. And Shiro seemed to have a close friendship with the rabid hothead so Lance was just trying to be diplomatic and asked, or in this case goad him into fighting. It would be good for him honestly, he had sparred with anyone since — 

_Aaanndd we stop that train of thought now._

Cutting off the bitter, bittersweet memories of a happier childhood Lance instead psychs himself up to fight Keith.

_I can take him. I mean how does he expect to move in clothes like that. They're so inhibiting. And I will be doing flips around him. It will be a truly a historical day. It is the battle of the century! Red verse Blue! Fire verse Water! Who will be the winner!_

_Me,_ Lance thinks after all his monologuing, _It will be me._

Stopping, he plants his feet and drops down into a fight stance, shoulders back, core centered and staff back making it look like he was open for attack. Keith starts to settle too and Lance waits for his perfect moment to strike because he knows Keith will make the first move.

 

Keith doesn't really take the prince serious. At least not all the time. He tries too hard and when he isn't then he's goofing off which could get the team hurt. There's also the 'rivalry' he started between them and Keith's not even sure where that started.

But Keith doesn't hate him, at least Lance hasn't gotten that annoying yet. He had seen the prince working hard repairing parts of the ship, going through star charts with his sister, or telling them what they can expect with the more they bond with their Lions. It means he's at least deticated to the team, even if he shows it in a round about way. Keith is more fed up that Lance doesn't act like that all the time. So it doesn't surprise Keith much when he comes in for an afternoon training session and sees the prince moving through the motions of fight an invisible opponent. And he could tell he had been doing it for awhile now with his hair plastered against his head and his workout clothes, a blue version of their undersuits minus the sleeves, was damp around his neck. 

He's not sure how he ended up sparring with the Altean prince, but he's positive that it was the dangerous combination of   his own extreme emotions and Lance's attitude. While this would be a good workout and it's just a sparring match Keith still isn't going to lose to this wannabe jerk. And as he watches Lance stop and plant himself with a false wide opening Keith takes the bait and charges.  His own plan in place to take Lance down.

 

The metal on metal exchange happens so seriously and frequently that it could almost be thought of as a song the two teens were composing with their constant strikes that created high pitch tones, similar to a tuning fork on a hollow pipe. The parrying and attacks are vicious and rough, both lashing out just trying to one up the other.

Trying to win at all cost.

Keith's swiping and lungeing keeps Lance at a distance and focusing on his knife long enough for him to get in a hit or two. But Lance takes on Keith from a distance in comparison. After getting one punch to his right arm and then another to his hip, which was luckily deflected by his weight belt, Lance uses his staff to take quick shots, disorienting Keith so he can get closer.

And suddenly the chance presents itself and both Paladins rush each other, clashing as they physically try to push the other down. Lance quickly drops his left side, causing Keith to fall forward slightly and takes the advantage of knocking the knife away. But the victory is short-lived as Lance looks toward the discarded weapon and misses Keith's recovery as he snatches the staff from Lance's loose hold to spin around, chuck it across the room, and complete the spin to kick Lance in his unprotected ribs. The kick never comes though, as Lance grabs his foot and pushes it away. Hard. In a stumbling recovery Keith just moves with the momentum and Lance has to back springs out of the way of Keith's left leg now coming around and going for his right side.

The prince takes a few steps back after his unbalanced landing putting distance between him and his sparring partner. They start the slow measured movements of circling, one foot over the other, as they begin their prowling around one another again, weaponless. They both curl up their fists and in a flash they are running at each other, aiming for the others' face fueled by spite and misplaced hate.

At being left alone and feeling betrayed.

At losing everything and trying to prove they could be someone.

The punches hit true, a little too true, as both get a cheek full of fist, knocking them back onto the matted floor.

 

_Ughh quiznak!....That actually hurt._

Lance rolls onto his back as he checks his jaw by poking at his cheek lightly to assess the damage done.

_He is damn good fighter. I have to be better next time._

Lance thinks as he winces at the pain in his face and to the right side of his body, unable to really get up.

 

_Goddammit! He can really punch!_

Keith mentally moans as he moves his jaw around trying to make sure it still works. Then he's touching the left side of his head where the prince got in a lucky shot with the end of his staff and can feel a bump, but no blood. 

"Hey Keith?" Lance coughs.

"What?"

He snaps, but most of the anger he wanted in the word was lacking from the pain.

"Wanna call this a tie?" Lance asks sounding as pitiful as Keith felt right now.

Keith tries to raises his head to look at the prince to see if he was lying, but gets a sense of dizziness from the previous hit he lays back down on the cool, thankfully, soft floor and groans.

"Yeah. Tie." He agrees.

 

Keith: 0

Lance: 0

Match has ended in a tie.

Keith: 0

Lance: 0

Tie: 1


	4. Siege of the Castle of Lions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was supposed to be a small celebration before they left. Not a fight for their lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there is never a given name for the sickle shape or other lovely designs on the Alteans' faces so I fiddled with google translate and found the Icelandic word for sickle to be sigð so I fancied the word up and made (sïqę) to stand for any of their face markings.

"We ought to get something like that." Hunk says, breaking Lance's staredown with the drink Coran had poured for him.

"Like what?" He asks.

"You know, like, a cheer. Like, a team cheer that we do," Hunk elaborates before getting a twinkle in his eyes, "OH! Oh oh oh I know! We could do a cheerleading chant!"

Lance has no idea what that is and while Hunk looks excited, Keith looks annoyed. Though to be fair that is his default, so he's going to go with Hunk's reaction being the right one.

"Cheer. Leading? What is that?" 

Keith, honest to stars, sighs like they did something stupid and says, "It's like playful gymnastics."

_Okay that cleared up nothing. And now I want to know what gymnastics is._

But before Lance could Hunk stands up straighter and looks them both in the eyes, mainly Keith, and says in the sternest voice Lance had ever heard,

"I'll have you know that cheerleading is it's own and it may be seen as an offshoot of gymnastics, but it is much more! It's through the cheerleaders' amazing feats and general happiness that people feel pumped and their players feel they can win a game!"

Lance hears a deep appreciation in Hunk's voice, but since he's still not clear on anything he just blinks at him completely lost.

"Okay," Hunk sighs in defeat, "my two older sisters were in cheerleading. I went to a lot practices because my moms couldn't always pick me up."

"Sooo that why you suggested the tower?" Lance asks, kind of getting this 'cheer-leading' thing.

"Anyway, one way they would get people pumped up was with chants like when I say 'Vol' and you say 'Tron.' Vol—!"

Suddenly on the spot both him and Keith look to each other for support before trying the chant, "Uh... Vol-tron?"

"Uh good first try," Hunk says, but Lance can see he's trying to be nice, "but the cheer is the instructions. I say 'Vol' and you say..."

"... Vol-tron?" Keith tries again.

"Volt? Tron?" Lance says after, hoping it's better this time.

But from Hunk's slight cringing and placating smile Lance knows they didn't do it right.

"We'll... We'll work on it." He says gently.

That's exactly how his Mother used to say the exact same thing when he would show her his spelling work. She wasn't disappointed or anything, she just didn't want to hurt his feelings. And doesn't makes Lance feel great, considering how much he actually likes Hunk.

He was just such a nice and friendly guy. In the few quintantsthey had known each other they had already started to bond when they were working on the third engine thruster. Since then Lance has been asking about Earth and Hunk about Altea. He didn't think he would ever be able to talk to someone about his planet knowing it's gone, but it wasn't painful when talking to Hunk, just memorable. They had just clicked as great friends and were soon talking about subjects that ranged from trivial to fun. So not getting what Lance assumes is an easy concept makes him feel like a less than fabulous friend. 

Lance looks over to Keith and gets a shrug for his troubles. Seeing that they'll 'work on it later' he takes a sip of his drink in defeat only to spit it back out, forgetting that Coran gave him Nunvill.

 

Running into the bridge nothing can be seen, but thick rolling smoke and Coran coughing while sitting on the ground.

"What happened?" Shiro asks, his voice gaining that commanding tone she remembers her father using.

"Ugh... I'm not sure." Coran answers as Hunk helps him up. 

Allura checks on Coran and sees he's mostly just dusty and a bit shaken from the blast. But as the smoke clears her attention is taken by the missing item in the center of the room.

"The Crystal!" She yells.

Allura runs to what was left of the Crystal, but stops short when she sees something much worst. Laying prone on the ground, surrounded by shattered shards and crumbling ceiling, was her brother. 

"A'lanor!" She screams.

"Lance!" Shiro calls out as well.

She slides down beside him, but hesitates to touch him fearing she would cause more harm. But Shiro deftly picks him up and cradles him gently. 

"How did this happen?" Allura asks herself as she brushes some of the rubble out of his now grey hair. 

"His - his highness, he pushed me out of the way." Coran whispers, but it echoes too loudly in the silence room.

Allura wants to tell him it's not his fault, that this was someone else's doing, but as she watches her brother's sïqę dim from bright teal to dull blue she focuses more on holding back her own tears.

"Prince...? Lance!" Shiro tries to rouse him with his name, but to no avail.

"We have to get Lance to the infirmary!" Pidge cries out sending Allura's thoughts from scared to terrified.

"Without the Crystal, the Castle has no power." She says woefully, flinching as Lance groans, "And without power..."

She lets the statement hang in the air as she delicately dust off Lance's face so the few burns and bruises she sees don't get infected.

"He doesn't look good." Shiro states as he readjust Lance into a better position against his chest.

They need a new Crystal and that was only found on a Balmera, but they didn't have access to the Lions either, making the situation worst. Then the Arusian king runs in crying about attackers, which is not far-fetch with the Galra knowing their position. She tries to compartmentalize all the issues and make decisions that aren't based on her critically hurt baby brother, but before she can say anything the Paladins and Coran are off making their own. Moving flawlessly like the team they are.

"I'll go see what's happening at the Arusian village." Keith tells them and Allura looks at Lance and takes a deep breath.

_Leaders make sacrifices, but Lance will not be one of them. We will fix this._

"I'll go with you, Keith. I brought this on the poor Arusians."

_And I need to remove myself from this situation or I will be compromised._

"Shiro, can I count on you to look over Lance?" Allura asks, though she already knows the answer. 

"Of course Princess, I promise," The sincerity in his eyes and voice affirm what she knew, but it makes her feel better to hear it out loud, "I'll stand watch over the Castle as well."

 

Shiro feels like he could kick himself if he wasn't already trying to breathe through the pain coursing through his muscles. He had two jobs and he had failed both! Sendak had the Castle and Lance was in the least safe place possible. The prince of a planet that once stood in Zarkon's way; he would definitely be taken back as a POW to either be exucuted or worst, experimented on. Shiro couldn't let that happen. He had to get Lance out of here and then find away to get to the others. He tries to move his arms, specifically the prosthetic, but it was no use. Then again he didn't want to move too much and jostle the prince propped up against his shoulder. Hearing footsteps he stops his struggling to turn around and sees Sendak and his right-hand man come into the room again. 

"Ah, I see our prisoners are up. Well, one of them is anyway." The commander sneers, stretching his enhanced arm out to touch Lance.

But at the last second Shiro gets Lance to rest on the platform behind them and gets to his feet, standing in front of the injured prince.

"Get away from him!" He growls.

Shiro hears the mechanical whirl of the drones standing at the ready. But Sendak raises his hand to stop anything and walks closer.

"You can't do anything." He glares down at him contempt.

"I can do a lot you don't know."

Shiro is half bluffing and half hoping that the reputation he built in the Arena would be enough. 

They stare each other down before Sendak gives him a sneer bordering on sadistic and turns away to his setup at the base of his Crystal. He waves his hand and the sentries come closer, but hold their position.

"Make contact with Emperor Zarkon."

In no time the man whose empire was responsible for separating Shiro from his friends, made him fight for his life, and scarred him in ways he could never talk about was on screen glaring down at them all.

"Sendak." His harsh voice echoes through the chamber.

"My mission is complete. I've captured the Altean castle, along with all of the Voltron Lions. I have also recapture the Champion as well as the Altean prince for you." Sendak recites plainly, though he says the second part happily.

Zarkon looks over to him and Shiro doesn't hesitate to move in front of Lance and glare at Zarkon like the trash he is. But the warlord sees what he needed to as an almost indiscernible grin grows on his face.

"This news is _most_ pleasing. You have done your duty. When are you departing?" Zarkon's eyes never leave Lance's person and Shiro doesn't stop glaring back.

"I am currently preparing for launch and will be delivering them all to you shortly."

"Good. Vrepit Sa."

"Vrepit Sa." 

The transmission ends and the Galra are back to their own launch sequence. Shiro is pushed back into a sitting position and almost immediately starts trying to get out of his cuffs again. He was more determined now with the Castle about to take-off. And also the look Zarkon had, almost a true smile, made him worry for what he had in store for Lance. But much, much too soon he feels the vibrations similar to that of a shuttle taking off. The Crystal glows an ominous magenta and Shiro's stomach drops just like the first time he encountered the Galra.

_I – I failed again._

But as suddenly as it starts it all stops. 

"The main engine just shorted out!" The second Galra calls out from his panel.

Sendak walks over and pulls up a screen that Shiro can't see from his vantage point, but he can hear the Galra just fine.

"We have a saboteur. Find him and take him out."

_Who could it be? Maybe it's Pidge? Maybe she didn't leave with Hunk and Coran?_

Shiro thinks and hopes, knowing how clever and now how determined Katie was to save people she cared about. If anyone could stealthy stop them it was her.

"Get'em Pidge." He whispers.

And she does if the frowning and growing anger on Sendak's face becomes more visible. After an extended silence he slams the control panel calling for Haxus to call in. He can't hear the reply, but watching the Galra's ears bend back and his hair raise at it has Shiro feeling smug because that's his teammate handing the Galra's asses to them. 

"You've slowed me down, but this ship is mine! You will turn yourself over to me immediately!"

Whatever is said next makes Sendak pause and turn towards him and Lance and Shiro shuffles the best he can in front of Lance, unsure of what the commander is planning.

"Well, then, maybe your leader can convince you."

Shiro understands what's about to happen and moves back and leans his weight onto his right so he's sure he won't land on Lance when the shock or blow comes.

"What do you want?" He asks trying, to sound indifferent and annoyed.

"Your friend wanted to hear from you." Then Sendak presses a button on his arm and the person on the otherside can be heard through the bridge's speakers.

"Shiro?" Pidge's confused and concern voice echoes through the room.

"Pidge?"

_Oh no. She can hear!_

"Pidge, don't listen to—"

The electricity arches through him at an alarming speed, familiar and painful all the same. He can hear Pidge yell, but can't really make out anything else before everything goes dark. When he comes to he's laying on something soft with someone's hand in his hair. Struggling to open his eyes he finds himself rolling face first into the soft material he's on, only to make out a blue armor clad leg through his blearily sight. Pushing himself up onto his knees as quickly as he can Shiro looks over at Lance to see his eyes cracked open, but still uncomfortably glassy and dark compared to their usual iridescence filled mischief ones.

" 'kay...iiro." He mumbles before his eyes close again.

Shiro watches his head fall back and from the looks of it stop breathing. Straddling him and leaning directly into his face Shiro licks his lips and wait. He knows it's not the same as picking up the direction of wind flow, but the principle should still work. He waits and waits, but finally a soft and too ragged sounding breath rolls over his lips and Shiro lets out his own baited breath, knowing Lance is still alive.

 _For now,_ His subconscious hisses.

 _No!_ He puts a stop to that train of thought right away, _He'll live. I won't lose anyone again._

 

They shouldn't have won, but they did and Allura was beyond relieved. They had the Castle back, Lance was in a pod healing, and they had a prisoner of war. Plus, they had their first mission as well, to save a Balmera and a Balmeran Hunk had taken a shine to. She honestly thought it quite romantic like the dashing heroes or heroines she read about when she was younger, swooping in to save someone they love. She was enjoying the softness of the idea, especially after their very close call, as a reprieve.

"But there are more important things that take precedence over a storybook romance." Allura tells herself in a huff.

As she continues her walk the princess starts to create a mental checklist of things she has yet to do;

Talking to Father about the best tactics on interrogation.

Going over what needed to be fixed with Coran, Pidge, and Hunk.

Talk to Keith and Shiro about what they could do to better security — but all those thoughts dissipate when she walks into the infirmary and sees Shiro sitting on the stairs, almost slumped over, in front of Lance's pod.

Walking up she gently shakes his shoulder, "Shiro?"

"Allura?" He asks sleepily before startling awake and standing up, "Princess! I'm sorry I – I'll leave." And starts to speed walk toward the door.

"I think he would be happy if you stay." She calls out, watching him freeze in the center of the room.

He stands there shoulders taut, only turning his head slightly like he was going to turn around before shaking his head 'no'. If it was to answer her question or him tell himself 'no' remain to be seen.

"I should go. I should see how everyone else is doing." He says slow and measured, like he was telling himself he had to.

She couldn't stand seeing him like this, so closed off and emitting such sorrow. She has an inkling why and she intends to set it right.

"Thank you Shiro."

That gets him to turn around, but his face is marred with confusion and doubt.

"For what?" He queries.

"Protecting Lance."

Shiro's whole body goes rigid as his hands clench into fists and he turns away from her as his face grows dark.

"I didn't protect him I –"

"Did you or did you not fight Sendak to stop him from getting to the Castle," She cuts him off before he can go any farther, "Did you or did you not place yourself between him and Zarkon when he was on screen or when Sendak went to torture you both." She recites calmly as she holds eye contact with Shiro, watching his growing fear.

"How – how did you know?" Shock colors both his face and his voice.

"I checked the security to make sure there were no other surprises and I saw you keeping your promise. To protect Lance. So thank you Shiro of Earth for protecting my brother. You did well. And I know he would feel the same."

She finishes her passionate speech, meaning every word, and hoping Shiro believes her too. He stares at her with a vacant look before the light comes back into his eyes and his lips turn up a bit at her truthfulness.

"Thank you Allura." 

She nods at him hearing the thankfulness in his voice and sees the solace in his eyes.

"You're welcome. Now I expect you to sleep in your room and let the rest of your team worry about the Castle and troublesome brothers. Royal decree and all that." She teases, knowing Shiro needs his mood lightened.

"Okay. I will." He chuckles and Allura actually believes him.

Before he leaves Shiro takes one last look around the infirmary, but Allura sees his gaze focused on one place in particular.

Lance. 

His smile is brief before he says his good-byes and promises Allura he would come back to visit again, and then it's just her and her brother. Walking slowly to his pod she places a hand over the surface and closes her eyes as she lets her forehead rest on it as well.

"You've seemed to have wrapped another Black Paladin around your finger again." Her broken laugh barely loud enough to echo.

Opening her eyes, she stares at his peaceful sleeping face through the protective glass. A glass made of a scaultrite-yendailia volcanic glass blend, resistance to wear and not easily broken. Allura wanted her brother's heart to be like this, but it wasn't who he was. Whispering against the glass she hopes he'll hear her wish.

"I hope you do not get hurt this time."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally subscribe to the headcanon that Hunk has two moms! I decided to throw in some sisters because when you have siblings you become either a fantastic peacemaker like Hunk or a amazing instigator *cough* Lance *cough*, but still have a high level of empathy/care.
> 
> (Speaking from experience as someone with two older brothers and one younger brother. It comes in spades.)


	5. The poisoning of our memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was the one thing they had left of him. Why did he have to be claimed by this war again?

Lance stares unseeing at the almost too realistic meadow of purple juiberries dotted with darker magenta ones. The mountains he use to climb with Father and his Paladins were just beyond the field, but unattainable. He turns away to his tea only to see one of Allura's mice dropping cubes of sugar into his drink. He smiles at the yellow one and gives him a little head pat before leaning down to whisper in his ear.

"Allura likes six in her's."

He watches in delight as the mouse stares before nodding his head vigorously and turning around to waddle to his friends, who immediately start climbing to the hovering tea tray. Turning back to the mountains he also finds himself remembering the paths he walked with Mother as well and the dull bittersweet pain of that memory has him looking toward the sky.

"A'lanor? Have we lost you?"

The static feeling of their holographic Father's hand on his shoulder snaps his attention away from the sky to him and a drowsy Allura.

"It seems Lancy Lance is lost in the clouds again." She says teasingly.

Lance grins back, "Better then hands in the sand, right Llura Lulu?"

"You were probably thinking about the mountains." She says as she deftly plucks a fake flower from the field and twirls it slowly in her hands.

"Is that true son?"

"Yes Father. I was remembering all the time we climbed or when I walked ... walked with Mother."

Both their faces become filled with sadness as well at remembering how they had lost the Queen of Altea. Then Allura's tried eyes widen and she moves closer to him.

"Do you remember us going to the summer berry festival for the harvest? Especially the one in your seventh year?" Allura says happily as she settles next to him.

"I remember you getting juice on your favorite dress right at the end of the parade. You cried the whole way home." Lance smirks at her as he calls up the memory.

Allura's eyes narrow with mirth as she attacks back, "And you eating too many roasted and sweeten lumaberries and getting a stomach ache and whining about it on the way back."

"I'm surprised you remember that over the noise you were making."

Lance laughs as he sasses her back only for her to push him in the stomach before tickling him. Thankfully his fallen cup is caught by the mice on their floating tea tray.

"How could I not," She laughs as she continues her attack, "It took two whole vargas of tummy rubs to get you to calm down enough to sleep."

Lance giggles as she digs her fingers in between his ribs making him squeal. Grabbing her hands he holds off her attack as he tries to one up her again.

"It took Mother cleaning the dress in front of you to get you to stop pouting."

"I only remember wondering how you two could create so much trouble and if I made the right decision to have you two." Their Father cuts in as he sits nearby with a jovial smile on his usually stern face.

"But you love us so it doesn't matter." Lance says with a smile finally sitting up right.

"I do indeed and always will."

And just like that the joyous atmosphere was soured by reality as both siblings look to their Father longingly.

"I miss Altea so much. I miss you, Father. I wish it didn't have to be this way."

Lance takes her hand as Allura lays her head on his shoulder and they take in their Father's image.

"We both do." Lance agrees quietly.

"I know, my children," Their Father sighs wistfully, "but, as leaders, we have to do what's right for our people, even if it means great sacrifice."

"I know, Father. That's what you always say." Allura pouts turning more into Lance's shoulder.

A soft hissing fills the room alerting the occupants that the memory chamber's doors have been opened, which has both of the royal siblings seizing up, knowing they've been caught.

"Princess, there you are. What are you doing up and about? You should be resting." Coran immediately starts scolding and worrying over her as he walks in.

"Coran can't she stay a little longer? I mean — I'm here." Lance offers.

But Coran does not look bought, twirling his mustache at him, "No doubt she talked you into bring her here."

They blushed in embarrassment at being so easily found out. Coran sighs with an edge of suffering as he shakes his head 'no'.

"The Balmera rejuvenation ceremony took a lot out of you. Come along, we're taking you to your room."

Coran reaches a hand out as Lance helps Allura off his side and gathers up their tea and other little companions.

"Get your rest, darling. And be well my son. I will be here for you when you're well Allura. Both of you." A phrase their Father said so constantly and so sincerely when he was alive that it pulls at both of their heart.

"We love you, Father." They say almost in-sync as they wave goodbye.

"I'll see you soon." Allura whispers mournfully as Lance continues to escort her to their wing.

* * *

“Allura! Allura!" Lance screams as he slams on the force field hoping desperately to crack the shield with his strength.

“The juniberries, the most exquisite flower of all.” Allura coos as she looks misty eye at the star in front of them.

At that Lance realizes what he can say that will break the control. Slamming the shield with all his strength it quakes under his force and it has Allura turning her head slightly in his direction.

“You have to listen to me Llura! The flowers! What do they smell like?!"

Lance sees her rubbing her fingers together like there’s a petal there, but looks confused.

“Is this real?” She says out loud.

“Of course it is real, daughter. That flower you’re touching is real.” The hologram lies.

“But where is the fragrance of the sweet juniberries!?” Coran yells catching on to what Lance was getting to.

She brings her hand to her nose sniffing and the fuzzy unfocused stare is broken as it is filled with fear as she takes in the star. In a fruitless attempt to persuaded their 'father’s' course away from the star he speaks the truth of his memories' corruption.

“I’ve got to get into the A.I. chamber to disconnect my father’s power source manually.” Allura announces walking off the dais.

Lance and Coran look at her in horrified shock.

“But — but that means Father’s…” Lance stops himself, unable to finish the sentence or thought.

“I know. Paladins get to your Lions! Coran I need you to slow the Castle’s descent into the star.”

As she runs into the hall the others disperse to their Lions, but Lance looks at the door and turns around, following his sister into the hallway. He finds her leaning against one of the walls crying and shoulders shaking in sorrow.

Sliding down in front of her he gently rests his hands on her shoulder in comfort, “Allura.”

"Lance I don't know if I can – ”

“You can because you’re you,” He cuts her off as she starts to cry more. He refuses to have her feel uncertainty, sadly that was more of his department, “You're the strong princess that helped with talks between the Traolites and won the Qu’tarza Tournament. And you're the bravest and best sister who checked my drawers for monsters and helped me with my studies,” Squeezing her hands so she’ll look up at him he puts as much love and comfort as he can behind his next words, “You can do this. I believe you."

He sees her eyes waver for only a bit before she nods and her eyes harden as she stands up, head held high.

“What are you waiting for Paladin? Get to your Lion.” She says confidently and with a hint of teasing.

With a smile he replies, “Yes my princess.” Before giving her a kiss on her forehead for luck and sprinting back to his elevator to get to Blue and the rest of his team.

_I meant it. I know you can do it Llura._

* * *

_I think I gave myself wrinkles worrying about everything._

Lance stares at his reflection as he tries to distract himself with trivial thoughts to keep away the more terrifying ones about how he almost died – twice! – as well as his team. And then there’s his sister. His poor sister who had to destroy their Father’s memories.

The last thing they had of him.

Just ....gone.

The feeling of frigid loneliness that had first latched onto him when he found out how long he had been asleep and then the raw excruciating pain of his stomach squeezing at the sight of Allura learning of their world’s fate curled within the pit of his stomach in the worst way thinking about the grief she must be in now.

_Maybe I should try again._

He had gone to her room immediately after securing Blue back in the bay, but she refused to let him come in. Leaning into his vanity Lance sighs as he wonders about how this is going to affect his sister, which is why he was startled when he hears a knock at his doors. Getting up he opens the door to see his sister there with the remnants of dried tear tracks and red eyes.

“Allura,” He whispers in shock, “Come in.”

She glides in with her robes and nightgown trailing behind her like the royalty she is. He waits until Allura sits in the center of his bed, hunched over hugging knees to her chest. Lance waits only a tick more before walking over and sliding onto the bed next to her. He sits in silence allowing Allura to gather her thoughts.

"He …He said that he loved us and he said goodbye. I... I got to say goodbye." Allura says only above a whisper, leaning more into her knees.

"Oh Lulu.”

Lance reaches out to lay hand on her shoulder, but before he can she throws himself into his chest. He holds on as tight as he can as she starts to shutter and cry softly into his shoulder.

“I’m glad you did,” Patting her back and soothing her, “I’m so happy you did. I got to when he sent me away in Blue, but you, you were forced into your pod and never had a chance. One moment he was there. The next –" the words catching in his throat not being able to state the painful truth.

"He was – is gone." Allura fills in where his voice cuts off in sadness.

"Yeah.”

They sit in quiet, contemplating their dead world as lost children among the stars battling a force that was thousands of years strong. It seemed almost impossibly overwhelming to fight those odds, but they were with much less to lose and everything to gain.

“But we – we're continuing his legacy, so he not completely gone.” Allura says turning her head slightly to speak confidence gaining at each word.

Lance can’t help the small smile that works itself onto his face at his sister's ability to be strong in the face of adversity. He leans away from her to look  her in the eyes and wipe away her tears.

"You’re right. We’re still alive and we can live the way he showed us how and save those in danger."

Grinning up at him she lays her head on his shoulder, “Thank you for listening Lance.”

“Always. For my favorite princess."

He gets a watery laugh in return and a tight klanmüirlan hug. They end up sleeping in his bed that night, still too distraught about what happen. How they were truly alone, but definitely stronger and on their own path now. Lance holds his sister much tighter as she drifts off to sleep and finds it harder to find rest after  hearing her sleepily confessions. How she was glad he is still here and she doesn’t know what she would have done if he was gone too. He shivers at the thought and smooths down her downy hair as he reminds himself that she's here safe and so is he. As sleep finally starts to take Lance he makes himself a promise that he plans to follow diligently.

_Be strong for us and I’ll be strong for you. Always._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A klanmüirl is the bear-like creature that Pidge was trying to say in the tutoring room for those that don't remember.


	6. Castle Vlog (Shiro)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Late nights awake in an unfamiliar spaceship is a lot more common place than Shiro would like to admit to himself. But he finds his worry going down, or at least away for right now, as he finds a little niche in this puzzle piece group and enjoys his time more often than not when they aren't working as a team to rid the universe of Zarkon.
> 
> But it's still space and it's still a very long way from home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First Castle Vlog! And it's kinda angsty! Woohoo!

When staring into the expanses of the night sky from the roof of his family's home and later from the plateaus that surrounded the Garrison, Shiro was always overwhelmed with wonderfully hard-to-describe emotions. Now it was still the same, but some of that pureness was tainted with the cynicism of knowing what was truly resting among the stars.

How many twinkling stars had he made a wish on that were suns that had their planets destroyed if they didn't comply to the new rule? Or seeing the Milky Way in awe while others just looked up at their galaxy and wondered if today was the day that the menace known as the Galra would finally come?

_**'** Takashi stop being such a downer. It will work out. **'**_

And that voice struck him more than he thought it would and drove his mind from the other listless thoughts to how loved ones must felt when the vacuums of space called out to their significant others and then take them away from them completely.

Sighing deeply Shiro finds himself reaching up with his hand to just run his fingers through his hair to calm himself, only for the artificially warmed fingers of the metal hand to come in contact with his scalp. He stops and gradually lets it fall into his lap, not whiping it away like the first time, and stares at it unseeingly as flashes of murky pain wash over him.

"Shiro? Shiro are you okay?"

He's so lost inside his head his own name startles him as he slides back in shock on the dais he was sitting. Only a couple of inches away is the prince sitting crouched on his legs and look up at him with extremely concern eyes. Shiro is confusingly more surprised by his night clothes than his presence though – lack of sleep and all that. The prince was dressed in a similar long robe like his sister had, but was wearing pajamas like him. A simple dark blue t-shirt and grey loose pajama pants. 

_Much more regular than what I expected at least._ _Though his blue lion slippers are definitely something only Lance would have._

"How long have you been up?" The prince asks, worry coloring his question.

"Do you want to know the answer to that?" Shiro hears himself answering with a touch of contempt wiggling its way into his voice.

The prince gazes calmly at him before standing and walking around him to sit on the floor.

On his right.

"I guess not. I actually came up because I thought you were Allura. After the whole thing with Sendak she's been having trouble sleeping so she comes here sometimes. I have the computer tell me whenever someone is here after lights-out. One of the jobs of a younger brother is to not let the other sibling burn themselves out." Lance say softly, but continues to look straight ahead like —

_Like he's trying to give me space._

"That's very kind of you." Shiro decides to reply.

"Yeah." He answers before leaning into the platform more and watching the stars with him.

They stay like that for at least fifteen minutes before Lance speaks up again.

"So there are three things we can do. One, I leave you alone because my presence is bothering you. Two, we talk about whatever's going on. Or three, we sit in silence, but when I get up to go to sleep you come with me."

"What? No option four?" Shiro sasses lightly.

His lack of continuous sleep had left his mind-to-mouth censor a bit shot.

"Oh someone's spicy," And Lance looks up with a tried grin, "What would be option four?"

"You just sitting there talking so I can't think about anything else." He replies and is shocked with himself for actually saying it out loud.

The grin on the prince's face melts some as he watches him. Seeming to make up his mind Lance stands up, taking ahold of his robe and sit on the dais as well.

Still on his right side.

"Alright I'm going to tell you a story and hopefully we can change this option four into an option two." The prince says sincerely before tacking on, "Eventually."

Resting his elbows on his folded knees Shiro simply raises an eyebrow and quirks a small smile.

"I see you've already started the clock, but I'm not worry. Lancey Lance always gets his man or woman." He laughs gently with a coy smile.

Shiro has to bite the inside of his cheek just to keep from smiling because dang can the prince be adorable sometimes. He knows his eyes widen some at that thought, but Lance is thankfully looking away getting more comfortable. 

_Maybe I should have gone with option three._

"Alright so this isn't the happiest story, but I need you to understand that I get where you're coming from." Lance starts before getting on with his story.

"So I was in my ninth year and my Mother took me to one of the farther hospitals in the capital. She was very kind-hearted and would go see people injured in large accidents so she could comfort them and ask if there was anything the Crown could do. I liked going because I just liked to help and understand people too. But this time it was a lot darker than I was used to. My Mother told me, but it didn't really prepare me. Father had just came back from a mission with the Green and Blue Paladins. Someone had been using one of the moons in the Green Paladin's home system to move cargo. Live cargo."

"Trafficking." Shiro hisses, livid at just the word.

"Yes. There were all ages from my age then to about yours now. They were either regular slaves, forced to pleasure whoever bought them, or were forced to fight for amusement."

Shiro watches as Lance almost turns his eyes to him, but stops to continue talking.

"The hospital had separated different wards off for them and I wasn't allowed to go near the last two wards because of the injuries, but also because I know my Mother didn't want me to see children my age that went through something so horrible. I found my way to the first ward and there was this playroom and in the corner in between a bookcase and the shelf of toys was this little Axotlstonain. They're a kinda amphibious sort of being, but she was just curled up sleeping and crying and twitching. I didn't know any better so I tried to shake her awake. I didn't think anyone could scream that loud."

Lance's eyes go glassy in memory and small tears well up in the corners, but before Shiro can do anything he blinks them away.

"It really scared me and I guess it was a good thing because it made the Axotlstonain calm down. I kinda freaked out and it ...well ... it made a lot of the toys start to float and I guess she got more concern about me than herself. But in the end I got her to talk to me and tell me her name and I sat next to her in the corner so she wouldn't be alone. I did that for at least three more days until her family finally found out about her and came to pick her up." Lance finishes seeming more exhausted than when he first arrived.

"I'm telling you this because those were the options she gave me when I came by. I used them again when I was older for other trauma patients I would go visit and they seemed to work well for them too."

Then for the first time since he came to the bridge Lance glances over shyly before saying in a soft sure voice,

"So if you want I can offer that to you too. Mental health is just as important as physical health." He says looking directly at him.

Shiro knows he right. He's told himself that too, but with an excuse like 'fighting a space empire' he told himself it could wait. And for some reason it was just harder to talk about his feelings even when he was very aware of them. Family was the easiest, followed by close friends, but only when they asked. But somehow this teen from 10,000 years ago was making him want to say something.

But in the end he couldn't.

_At least not tonight. Maybe another night._

He tells himself again, but Shiro knows that will be far in the future.

Though he could still use the company.

"What about an option five?" Shiro finally says.

"Forever the negotiator," Lance says softly and only somewhat saddened by Shiro's choice, "What's option five?"

"We sit and talk until one of us falls asleep."

Lance stares sleepily and suspiciously at him in return.

"That's it?"

"That's it."

A true smile creeps onto Lance's lips as he says, "I think option five can work." 

"Also Lance — Thank you. I understand what you were trying to say with your story and I appreciate." He says very sincere as he turns to look at the prince fully.

"I also know nothing is fixed in one sitting so I won't nag you," The prince says seriously.

"Thank you." And smile touches Shiro's lips for the first time that night.

Then a more playful look overtakes the serious one as Lance asks, "So what do you want to talk about?"

"You can make objects float?" Shiro blurts out, human curiosity getting the better of him.

"I can do a lot of things. I'm a very skilled alchemist." Lance boasts very proudly.

"Tell me what that means."

In the end they talked for an hour and ended up on the topic of why they liked their favorite color. Lance had slowly throughout leaned into his arm and dosed off completely unfazed by it. Shiro thinks of everything; the company, the opening up, and the prince just wanting to help meaning a lot to him. But out of all of it, Lance sitting on his broken side made more of a difference than he knew to Shiro. Picking up the young prince he dutifully carries him to his wing, feeling a little lighter than before.

Shiro hopes that this doesn't become a habit, but in the next few weeks of fighting it does, regardless of how hard he tries to stay in bed. Somehow each time he makes it to the bridge and every night he can Lance is up with him. It helps and Shiro is usually getting back in bed only an hour or two after getting up and actually sleeping when he gets into bed. But on some nights when sleep just doesn't seem to come to Shiro he notices that the prince's presence makes the endless expanses of space just a bit more welcoming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I decided to jump the gun and toss Adam in to the story very very lightly because I need more feels and I couldn't wait.


	7. I'd go to the far reaches of the galaxy for you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their first battle against Zarkon happens because of failed planning. They have to be better, quicker, and smarter.  
> All for Allura.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be updating Wednesdays and Sundays for the foreseeable future. Enjoy!

"Hold on. Pidge, do you know where that ship is headed?" Allura asks as she peers over Pidge's shoulder.

Lance looks over and is immediately on high alert. He sees the calculating gaze his sister has and knows she is about attempt something really spectacular or unbelievably dumb.

Pidge's eyes fly across the screen of a machine called a laptop as she reads off the information Allura wants.

"Um, it's scheduled to be here for about a half an hour, then head off to Central Command." 

"That's where they have the information we need, and I'm going to sneak aboard that ship and get it for us." Allura say confidently, and well Lance is not having it.

"What?! No way. If anything it should be me!"

"Don't be absurd. You're needed here, Voltron can't be formed without you. This is not up for debate!"

"I think it is!"

"Uh ...," Keith cuts in, but not with a helpful statement, "What are you talking about and how would you even get in?"

"I'm going to walk right through the front."

And with that she closes her eyes in concentration. Lance can't believe this is happening as he throws his hands in the air and leans back against the control panel, much to the confusion of his teammates. But he just looks out the windows, very perturbed.

He's not pouting, he's just fed up with Allura doing what she likes because she is the oldest.

And tick by tick everyone sees what he didn't want to happen. Her warm copper skin turns a soft light lavender while she grows at least twenty h’qells taller. She opens her eyes and looks so proud of herself as the rest of the Paladins gawk at her transformation.

"How the heck did you do that?" Hunk asks and Lance can feel his burning need to ask more questions from here.

"Alteans are a chameleon-like people. We can blend in with most local people." Lance finds himself saying despite the situation.

Allura agrees before elaborating, "Yes. It's the ability that's made us great explorers and diplomats throughout our history." 

"How many different colors can you be at once?" Pidge asks first.

"Aren't you afraid you'll rip your pants?" Hunk questions, sounding extremely worried.

"How could you change that quickly?" Keith mumbles, probably talking to himself.

"Right now none of you should be asking questions because your encouraging her to do something she's not going to do!" Lance huffs as he turns back.

But only Shiro is looking at him. All stern and concern as usual before he gets his own look that tells Lance he has a plan too. And Lance can't stop the small grin at having someone on his side.

"Just one at a time, I will need a change of clothes. And it depends on the person. Some change quicker that others. Now about the change of costume, I can use his uniform as a disguise." Allura answers the team primly before looking to the one downed guard. 

"Again, no!" Lance tries again.

"I agree with the Prince." Shiro speaks up, getting everyone's attention.

_Thank you Shiro._

"I can't let you go in there alone."

_Nooooo! That means she can still go!_

"Excuse me? I do not need your permission." Allura snaps at him.

"It's too dangerous for you, either of you, to go alone. I'm going in with you Princess."

Lance can't even process what is going on right now as his stresses about all they ways this could possibly go wrong, but in his fit of anger he can only mime grabbing at his head because he cannot physically get any words out.

"You will stick out like a Choferiak's nose." Allura says ending the conversation right there.

"You're going to need that nose, Princess. Shiro's hand is made from Galra tech. It's the only thing we have that will allow us to interface with their systems and gather intel. I can monitor the download remotely from here." Pidge butts in making both a good and horrible point because it still means Allura can still go.

"Fine. You can come."

"Why is no one listening to me?!" Lance shouts unable to keep quiet any longer.

He just gets shushed for it.

* * *

_Why didn't they listen to me?_

So despite his warnings and complaining they went ahead with it and he and the rest of the team stood on the bridge of the port waiting for their team leader and his ridiculous sister to come back. And in so many ticks everything seemed to go wrong. The sentry wouldn't help them and Keith went off alone.

Again.

Despite his warning, which he did his best Pidge, but he's not Allura.

But it was nothing compared to when Shiro walked into the Green Lion's command pod alone and Lance couldn't even think past 'his sister wasn't there'.

"Shiro?" He say lowly before the questions start to just spill out, "Where's Allura? Where's my sister?" 

"Shiro?" Keith tries to get his friend to speak.

"She sacrificed herself to save me." Shiro admits, unable to look them in the eyes.

The stabbing phantom pain of his heart and lungs stuttering, squeezing as he sucks in a ragged breath cannot compare to anything he had ever felt before. He attempts to take a calming breath, but only a disgustingly wet sob comes out from behind his clenched teeth. He doesn't even realizes he was falling until Keith grips his arm to keep him from keeling over face first.

"No Lance! I didn't mean — " 

He floats, simultaneously feeling complete numbness and overarching grief.

But then there is a third feeling. In the midst of it all someone was gripping his shoulders, anchoring him in the vacuum of despair. Cool and soft textures touch the side of his face and gently lift it. He focuses on the dark grey brown eyes, almost black in the green light. That's when Lance notices it was Shiro cupping his face gently and speaking to him.

"—athe Lance. You need to breathe. She's still alive. She still alive Lance."

Lance searches his eyes for the truth and only sees concern and honesty. The will to breath again finds him and shakily he slides back from Shiro to take a few deep breaths and leans against the panel behind him. Keith hands him back his helmet, but he doesn't put it on just yet as he sits there trying to regulate himself, trying to feel altean again.

"So, she's still on that ship?" Pidge speaks up after a bit.

"The ship that's headed to Zarkon's Central Command?" Hunk questions, already sounding scared by speaking the name.

"It's way too dangerous for us to attack." Keith says, like it his right to decide that.

"It doesn't matter now. Or how dangerous. We can't let Zarkon get Allura." Lance can't look at the others, he just stares at his helmet as he works through the numbness his body is going through.

"And we are." Shiro agrees.

"But you said going there would be a huge mistake," Hunk says popping in like a horrible reminder, "You said for us to attack that place head-on would be the dumbest possible thing we could ever do."

"I know," Shiro replies voice full of guilt, "But now we don't have a choice." 

And with that Pidge takes them back to the Castle.

It's truly a feat of self-preservation and the need to get to his sister faster that he didn't start hyperventilating again on the way back. They get back to the Castle, but Lance doesn't notice as Hunk leads his still in-shock-self over to his chair on the bridge. He was just so busy with running through scenarios; both good and bad, but mostly the worst outcomes that the world just moved around him like a blur.

_But I can't afford to think that way. Allura can't afford me thinking this way. We can do this. We have to!_

And the muffled voices of his teammates and fuzzy surroundings of the bridge start to come back into focus and Lance realizes he's come in during the middle of a verbal battle. 

"I think we should go in right away. Every minute we waste gives Zarkon time to prepare for us." Pidge points out already typing into her system.

But Hunk immediately dismisses it with a shake of his head, "Um, do you guys not remember the Balmera? We could barely take out one fleet. But this... a base this size could hold a thousand fleets!" 

"Or maybe we shouldn't go on this mission at all. Think about it. We'll be delivering the universe's only hope to the universe's biggest enemy." Keith cuts in indifferently.

Lance's neck hurts from the speed he turns around to stare at Keith. He is giving him the benefit of the doubt, hoping Keith isn't suggesting something they will never do, especially in this case.

"Keith, that's cold, even for you. What if it was one of us? What if it was me? You wouldn't leave me, would you? Would you?"

"I'm not saying I like the idea. I'm just thinking like a Paladin."

_That little —!_

"No!" Lance stands up and marches over and would have gotten in his face if it wasn't for Shiro standing in front of him, "You're thinking of yourself because you're too scared to do what's right! I knew you were nothing but a unemotional loner. But now I know you're a coward as well!" 

"Okay, we're all upset because we lost Allura." Pidge tries to defuse the situation.

But it's too late. The fuse is lit and Lance knows where Keith's loyalties lie. 

"No, Shiro lost Allura!" Coran shouts, more angry then Lance had ever heard him.

"Coran!"

Lance spins around in shock and his adviser simply glares past him before turning away, obviously standing by what he said. 

"Okay, okay!" Hunk walks into the center of their huddle with arms outstretched, trying to calm everyone down by speaking gently, "This isn't helping. We can't just sit here and bicker like this."

"Let's focus. How are we going to get Allura back?" Shiro questions, bringing them back to their main situation.

Quietly everyone looks around blankly –or in some cases they don't show their cowardly face at all – and realized they hadn't really had any ideas at all. Just accusations.

"Alright we each take a copy of the hologram and see if we can find a way in." Shiro decides before walking to his chair.

With no other ideas they split up and start going through the data Pidge gathered from their previous mission.

* * *

"Anything?" Shiro asks quietly as he leans over his shoulder.

Lance slumps into his chair as he gestures to the screens, "There's just no way in. They'll have us tracked from every direction."

And he'll admit he sounds hopeless because right now it seems like he'll never see his sister again.

"There's got to be something. Keep looking," Shiro tries to encourage him and stands to leave, but stops to the left of his chair.

"Lance," He whispers, "...I know you're worried about her, more than us. But we're all worried too and we're going to do our best to find her.... I'm sorry I let her slip away." Guilt clinging to his every word.

Lance reaches out to grab hold of Shiro's prosthetic wrist and waits until he turns to look at him to say his piece.

"It's just like her to do something like this ... It's not your fault. Really. And Coran didn't really mean what he said... I've – we've lost so much. We can't lose Allura too. I can't Shiro."

Shiro watches him, sorrow plain on his face, before gently moving his wrist from the loose hold to place a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"We'll find a way to get her back. I promise." Shiro says to him as he gives him a comforting squeeze and walks over to Coran to see how he's doing.

Lance watches with trepidation hoping his adviser has calmed down since his rude comment. He knows Coran is just as worried as he is and that he feels responsible for letting Allura go. He just needed to take his anger out on someone and sadly that was Shiro. Lance had seen the barely there tremor that went through Shiro at Coran's outburst out of the corner of his eye and couldn't stop thinking about how distraught Shiro had looked before he locked down his emotions again. He had wanted to fix it but it was not his place, it was between Shiro and Coran. But Coran is Coran, and Lance knows that with a bit of time he'll be back on common ground with Shiro, because everyone needs to be level-headed now and Coran never stays angry for long. 

"Wait a tick. I think I've got a way." Lance hears Coran with excitement coloring his voice.

Then he's moving across his screens and panels at a speed only he can as he points things out to Shiro and waits for his opinion. Lance grins as he watches them work together.

_One step closer._

And not three doboshes later Shiro is calling everyone up to the main holo.

"Everyone, eyes front. We've got a plan to get Allura. We're going to jump into the heart of the enemy, unseen and undetected."

"A'lanor will jump us here, to one of these giant gas planets in Zarkon's command system. The gas is so dense, we'll be hidden." Coran explains pulling the whole system up on screen.

"From there, we'll use the Castle to scan for Allura on Zarkon's ship and attack before Zarkon knows what hit him." Shiro finishes.

"In and out. Good." Keith actually agrees.

Everyone breaks up; the rest of the team go down to their Lions, Coran starts getting the ship ready for the launch, and Lance steps onto the platform and reaches down calling on his Quintessence, and powering up the Teludav. As Coran takes them through Lance is off the platform in an instance and running for his chute.

"We'll make sure they regret it." Lance growls to himself as the bay doors open and he and Blue rocket out into the swirling hazy mass of the planet.

* * *

They were leaving a wasteland of fighter and command ships in their wake as they close in on the command hub. But then it all goes to draca-shit.

"We lost the sword! Something's malfunctioning!" Keith yells over the comm.

"What's happening?" Coran asks hearing all of them groaning to keep control.

"Voltron's frozen up!" Lance answers, "I think – I think someone is trying to break us apart!"

Lance wasn't sure before, but then he feels a pulse, a presence of sick Quintessences and can feel the indecision between the Lions. How they want to stay together but - but Black wants to leave and not completely because they want to, like they're in a trance. Shiro's grunts of pain can be heard over their comms as he struggles to keep them together.

"I can't hold it!" Shiro grunts through clenched teeth.

Then Lance can hear a voice, no words, but he would know that cadence anywhere as it still haunts his best memories and worst nightmares.  
  
Gripping his flightsticks as tight as he can Lance forces some of his own magic onto Voltron, begging him to stay together.

"Come on, come on, come on! Stay to together please! Whoever is there get the _quiznak_ out!"

And for a brief moment the peace and strength Voltron gives off naturally is present, only for a few ticks later the bitter sick pain of before comes crashing back in.

**_Foolish child. I am too strong. You have not learned your own potential._ **

Lance pushes back as much as he can stopping it once again, but in the end the blinding light that he is giving off combined with the dark magic working on Voltron whites out his vision.

"– nce. La –...Lance! Buddy, come on answer me!"

Lance peels his eyes open, not even noticing that he blacked out, but then immediately regrets it. It feels like everything hurts, from his soul to his fingernails. He tries to tell Hunk he conscious, but all that comes out is a groan.

"Are you okay?" His worry voice comes through the comm again.

"I feel like a golbinheffer kicked me in the head. Multiple times."

"I don't know what that is, but you've got to pull it together. We've got bigger problems right now. Look!"

And problems they did have because Voltron was separated and the fighter drones just kept coming. Even with Coran bringing the Castleship to the fight it was never ending.

But they need to do this.

Have to do this.

And in almost regular fashion they're splitting up with Shiro going after Black, who Lance can't feel anymore. Keith is being stupidly stupid and fighting Zarkon head on! And he and Pidge are protecting Yellow and Hunk's hides by covering whatever gets past Coran.

"Hunk, did you get Allura?!" Lance checks in with Hunk for a third time as he freezes a string of drones flying in from the portside.

"Yeah I got her," But the way he says it sound very unsure and Lance knows he's not going to like the rest of what he has to say, "but there's a change of plans."

"No! No change in plans! Get back here now!"

His ranting falls on deaf ears again as the unwilling boarding party ignores his calls and for ten doboshes Lance is sure he is running on autopilot as he flies because he knows he can't afford to be spacey now, he has to focus. But then Yellow is pulling her head out of the hull and for the first time since they stepped foot on that cargo ship Lance can breath again.

Though he should have know not to get comfortable because all too soon they were scattered across the universe when their wormhole falls in on itself. He and Hunk crash on a nice enough planet where the mythical Mersoa actually existed. But they end up fighting again almost instantly after they landed there. This time it was a sea serpent that was systematically eating the underwater citizens off. But it was worth it because one; they saved a planet and two; Queen Luxia helped them send a signal to the Castle and Lance is finally able to reunite with his sister.

He actually leaps from Blue's mouth before she can bend down, tucking and rolling before sprinting for the bridge. Lance throws himself from the doorway the moment it opens taking his very surprised sister down and squeezing her with all that he has.

"Lance! I –"

"Don't! Don't speak right now. Don't do that again. And don't let go..... Please."

She gently wraps her arms around him too and hugs back just as hard. And Lance could care less if he knock his sister to the ground and made her give him a hug. He needs this and from the way her hands are shaking so badly that he can feel it through his armor he know she needs this too.

"I can't lose you. Please don't do that again." He whispers and pleads.

"Not if I don't have to." She replies back in a low tone, running her fingers through his hair.

And it is the best he can get from her, but he wishes she could promise to never leave the safety of the ship. But nothing is promised in war. They've know that for a long time. The others don't say anything, sitting silently as the siblings stay sprawled on the platform as they travel to Shiro and Keith's position. As he rests against his sister's stomach he allows himself this because it's only going to get tougher from this point on. He could feel it in his bones. And the ghostly cackling of someone truly powerful echoing in the back of his head are doing nothing to put his mind at ease.

_Everything is going to change._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> t’qell: I spelled keel so very wrong (Kquell) and said to myself that looks alien, so now its my own made-up Altean measurement that will be close to metric with the ' 'qell' being the 'meters' part of the unit.  
> Kilometer = k'qell  
> Meter = t'qell  
> Centimeter = h'qell  
> Millimeter = v'qell  
> Micrometer = de'qell  
> Nanometer = tri'qell
> 
> Also I'll be explaining Lance's attempt to fight the druids back in the next chapter. But I imagine that he holds Voltron together a little longer than in the show like a minute or 2 more, but ultimately 4 druids against 1 Paladin and one of the druids being Haggar means that it was just too much for him.


	8. Castle Vlog (Allura & A'lanor)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We were peaceful once. Balanced with the worlds. Abound with knowledge and power. But all it takes is craving to much of a thing and it can destroy everything. So sad that it was love that did us in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a little on the long side only because I'm trying to get two people's POV and set up my backstory for this AU. The line of ~~~~ is me indicating time skips.
> 
> Also my form of aging is that 1 of Altea's year is like 10 yrs in human time since they're suppose to be a longer lived race and their months are called deca-pheobs. I'm also going to say they can live to about 1,200 (human) which is only 120 to them.

Allura's first memories were that of the colors that showed up multiple times around the castle when  _they_ would visit. She soon associated the colors with different emotions and expectations.

Blue with reddish orange would be heartfelt adventures and tricks around the Castle.

Yellow with blue and green was fancifully full stories of a planet she had yet to see with Motre fruit pits as a snack while she listened.

Green and white meant days of wanting to learn and sometimes playtime with small dolls made by hand just for her.

Black and purple was the only one she couldn't care for. There were long talks and Father being gone for longer than she wanted. Most of the talks would turn loud and disagreeable. Allura had asked her Mother once why he came the most if that's all they did. Her Mother had said that Father and Emperor Zarkon had a tumultuous relationship that was unfathomably deep which is why they were still friends and always trying to be on common terms. She didn't understand all of the words, but she knew she never really wanted the black and purple there.

But her baby brother that was a different story.

It was a nice warm day in the winter when Allura was told that she was getting a little brother and she wasn't particularly thrilled. Some of the servants and alchemists' children she played with after lessons told her of when they got siblings and how their parents' time was taken up by the new baby. Allura was understandably outraged as she already had to share her parents with the planet, the Paladins, and now a new family member.

She did not want him here!

But in telling her parents one night they assured her they wouldn't forget about her and while they were busy they hoped she would take up the mission to watch over and play with her little brother. Allura was not happy, but after thirteen months the white, silver, and gold streamers and flags were up along side all the other colors as the Paladins and their people celebrated her new baby brother. Allura remembers it like it was yesterquintant when she was finally able to see A'lanor for the first time. Plus, her parents had told her the story multiple time.

The celebration had just started and her nanny brought her down despite not wanting to go, but it was her job as a princess and she took her job very seriously. She approached the dais and stood on her tippy-toes to peer inside the soft carriage to see her new brother. Inside there was a soft and very elaborate quilt that looked like one of Gyrgan's capes and to A'lanor's left there was a stuffed tsidii that had to be from Trigel. But all she could think of as she stared at A'lanor was how small he was and the cutest thing she had ever seen. That was until he opened his huge dark blue and light purple eyes to look up at her, and then he was the cutest thing she had ever seen. They sparkled in the chandelier's lights and as she slowly reached inside poking his little tummy he giggled like the morning bells. She gasps aloud at the adorableness of it all before calling for everyone's attention.

" 'tention! I need your 'ttention!" She announced like the queen she was going to be one day.

It wasn't very loud in the ballroom like other celebrations because no one wanted the new prince to be disturbed, which made it perfect for a young princess of four years to be heard. Everyone turned to her and she cleared her throat before walking up to the end of the dais.

"Thank you. I am Princess 'llura. This is my new baby brother, Laner," She points behind her and made sure to sound as royal as she could, "I love him very much now and I will keep him safe from everything. Now I'm going back to play with him."

Allura then turned around to go back to the crib only for a round of quiet applause to start. She turned around in surprise and saw everyone smiling at her, but the young princess didn't know what to do. Looking to her Mother, Allura watched her act out a curtsy which she does quickly before running back to her brother to make faces and talk to A'lanor until he went to sleep again. It was great and she hated that she had to wait to see him again when her nanny took her back to her nursery. As she snuggled into her bed she started making a list of all the things she could do with him the next day and the days to come.

 

                                                                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

_Yeah they're coming back! I can test it like my tutor said._

A'lanor looks down over the balcony at the grand walkway and watches as the servants put up the colors of all the Paladins' flags. He couldn't wait to see them again and find out how Father was doing and what everyone had done while they were gone. Had Gyrgan finally perfected his chippermore rast recipe? Had Trigel finished her new star chart? Had Blaytz found the mysterious creature in the fourth ocean? Had Zarkon finished his newest sentry system? He had so many questions and couldn't wait to ask them. He barely sees the twinkle in the sky before he's off running down the hall and around people to get to the nursery.

"They're back!" He yells as he slides into the opening doors and just clips it with his ear.

As he turns back around to run to the group landing bay his sister has already sprinted past him with her dress hiked up making it down the hallway without him!

"Wait for me!"

They meet up at the elevator and fidget the entire time as it takes them down at a too slow pace.

"Come on!" A'lanor finds himself yelling at the elevator hoping it will make it go faster.

"Don't yell. It won't do anything." Allura scolds him.

"You're wishing it would go faster too. I heard you whispering." 

"I was not!"

"We're too!"

"Not!"

"Children?"

At the sound of their Father's voice, questioning or not, both run out towards him jumping at his legs and making him crash to the ground. It was a flurry of 'miss you', 'love you's', and 'what happen this time.'

"Settle down. Settle down." He laughs as he gathers them up for a tight hug, "I missed you too. And I love you both. Also we just came back from Easpis."

"The water planet?" A'lanor ask looking to Trigel for confirmation.

"Correct little fawn. You have been studying haven't you?" She says with a gentle pat to the head.

"Yes! You have to be smart and brave to be a Paladin." He answers back cheerfully.

"A'lanor, the Lion must choose you if you are to become a Paladin. If not you will still be a strong leader." Zarkon says as he helps their Father up.

"But I have!" A'lanor jumps up happily, excited to tell the others what he had done.

But Allura ruins it by rolling her eyes and frowning, "Uhh! Not again."

"What?" Father looks down to her curiously.

"A'lanor says he can hear the Lions speak." She pouts crossing her arms, "All of them and that's not possible."

All the Paladins look to him and A'lanor doesn't like it. None of them are smiling and they all look at him in confusion. He really doesn't like it.

"It is true! Well I heard Blue and Green, but I could tell the others were listening too. I promise!" He pleads to everyone, not wanting them to think he was lair. Lairs couldn't be Paladins.

"A'lanor," Father says calmly and the young prince hopes he doesn't take his sister's side, "Your sister is right that you shouldn't be able to hear them all. But these are completely new machines that we've never seen before. Maybe you can."

A'lanor looks up to his Father amazed and surprised because he didn't take Allura's side and he believed him.

"You really think so?" He asks quietly.

"Maybe." And A'lanor grabs his Father's leg in the tightest hold he could, even though the armor dug into his stomach.

"Thank you." He whispers, hugging tighter.

"You're welcome," His Father replies, patting him on his back before standing up straight, "Now I may have been gone for a couple of movements, but I'm sure you're supposed to start afternoon lessons soon." 

"Nooo!" They both groan, but they go on their way when Father promises to eat dinner with them.

 

"Alfor is it really wise to get your son's hopes up like that. The bond is such a strong connection, one of us couldn't possible have more than our one connection." Zarkon voices later as they change into their regular royal regalia.

"I think it is fine if he has a dream." Alfor says dismissively as he places his helmet with the others.

"I just think Zarks here is jealous that his Lion is talking to someone else. Wants to keep Black all for himself." Blaytz teases as he fixes his belt.

Everyone laughs at the joke while Zarkon's face gets a little darker around his cheeks.

"That – that is not the case. I'm simply saying –" Zarkon tries to clear up, but Alfor waves him off.

"I know what you're saying and he's fine. He'll grow out of it eventually as he takes on more responsibilities. There's nothing to worry about." Alfor says with a gentle smile.

He didn't know how wrong he was.

* * *

"Hi Blue, Red, Black, Green, and Yellow."

The silence of the wide and empty landing bay does nothing to deterred the determined prince as he sits down. It was great that there was a full bay for all the Lions, but it also means that if they were all left here that Father would be leaving soon so A'lanor had to make this quick.

"So I told my tutor about what happen last time and he told me that I should test it again," He tells all the Lions as he sits down in front of them, "There's a name for the word that means testing, but I don't remember it. I know I only heard Blue and I think Green, but I want to try again. I remember being quiet so I'm going to do that again and see if we can talk because I liked when you showed me the pictures from Tazerine."

He takes a deep breathe and starts to count to hundred. As he does he can see the strands of blue light that feel like cool warmth. It was something that happened sometimes when he was silent. Focusing and following the strands he waits.

And all of a sudden the darkness behind his eyelids changes to a view of a sunny sky that touches a shallow endless ocean that goes on in all directions. It was cool to the touch, but it wasn't uncomfortable as he stood barefoot in it and it only touched his ankles. Then it seems to be sucked into the ground as the strength and endurance of wide trees grow up, blocking A'lanor's sight of anything else. He can feel his hair blow around his face as he turns into the wind. But suddenly the wind becomes hot and the air humid as everything begins to burning away, but not like the viscous wildfires the firefalls create. It was beautiful in the way the flames danced and glided over the plants. A'lanor follows the ashes that are being blown away together and finds himself in an endless desert with sloping dunes and wondrous plateaus in the distance. Instantly it goes pitch black before shining incredibly as stars and galaxies soar and sail around in a surreal way highlighted by all shades of purple. He spins around slowly taking in what looks like a star chart brought to life and his breathe taken away by how amazing it is. But then it feels like all the air is being sucked out of his lungs and A'lanor feels scared for only a tick before the feeling of floating in zero gravity takes over. Something tells him he is safe and he should open his eyes — not realizing he had close them — so he does, a views a world with all the energies combined. Mountains on either sides of him that seemed to rolls like water and small grasses and flowers glowed with flames in different colors made their home at the bases, while the water he was standing in stretched endlessly in front of him again, but was also reflecting the sky of stars and galaxies in a way he had never seen before. They touched at the horizon leaving A'lanor in awe as he takes in this mystical world. The prince knew what he had done and couldn't help jumping up and down making ripples that went to the horizon while sounding like echoes of thunder. 

_'I have so many questions.'_

The resulting rumbles and purrs drift over him and he can hear them tell him it is alright to speak and A'lanor asks away.

* * *

"I knew he would do this. Why does he have to be so stubborn?" Allura questions the air as she makes her way deeper into the Castle.

Being older and the heir to Altea her lessons were a varga longer that her brother's meaning he had tons of time to do something he shouldn't. She knew immediately when his tutor told her that A'lanor left for the royal garden that he had really gone to test his hypothesis because he wouldn't have long before Father left again. Taking the elevator down she thinks over what she's going to say to her precocious little eight year old brother. She can't be aggressive, that's not how a sister, princess, or future queen reacts. And besides her brother is allowed to have an imagination, but it still she'll explain nicely why it would be impossible to talk to machines, even ones as amazing as Voltron. But when she gets to the bay all the Lions are crouched like they're laying down and only they're eyes were glowing. They were all looking in the direction of something glowing blue and white with small orbs of light coming off of it only to dissolve like bubbles. It was floating only a few t'qell off the ground, but when Allura gets closer and sees who it was she is sprinted away calling for her Father the whole way.

* * *

"I think it would make sense for her to examine him. She is the aforementioned scientist on Quintessence. It could have something to do with your serious exposure to the rift, both before and after Voltron's creation."

He hears a deep voice, but the room is too dark to see.

"Yes, but she's so busy she barely says anything when I come to visit."

"Because you visit at the worst times."

No it's his eyes. They're too heavy to open.

"Emperor it very gracious of you, but we wouldn't want to disturb the Empress' work. We can have the monks here help him control it, but if she wants us to come by or she wishes to visit she is welcome."

"Thank you Queen Irrvai. I will tell her, but do not hesitate to ask."

He knew the other voice, it read him the best nocturne tales. 

"Mommy?"

He tries to say, but it sounds scratchy and his throat hurts because of it. Like someone drag nails down his arm. He opens his eyes a bit and can only see the white of his Mother's hair. She makes everything better when she presses one of her cool hands to his forehead.

"Oh my sweet dear. What happened to you?" She ask softly as she presses a soft kiss to his forehead.

A'lanor has to really think and it hurts his head, but then he remembers what he did and he can't help but smile. He even forces his eyes open to look at his Mother too.

"I did it. I talked to the Lions." He coughs, not caring about the pain.

"Did you?" His Mother questions and A'lanor tell her everything he could remember.

"Yeah they like being able to go to new places and think their Paladins are cool, but Red think Father need to think as fast as he wants to go," He hears a chuckle at that, but it sounds like that deeper voice again, "and Green thinks Trigel should try to be more fle- flex-, bendy with her thinking. And Black thinks Zarkon should calm down more," Then he hears his Father laughing which made him think of the last thing he wanted to tell his Mother, "Oh! Did you know they showed me their trip to Easpis when Father rolled down the sand dunes and into the ocean. Everyone else did by accident too, except for Gyrgan. It was funny."

He doesn't see his Mother's stare filled with worried or the other to people standing just outside of his sight looking just as concern.

"Sweetstar get some sleep, okay." He Mother tells him before kissing his head again and running her fingers through his hair.

"Okay." A'lanor yawns wanting to go back to sleep anyway.

He turns over and snuggles up with his stuffed tsidii and dozes off with thoughts of nature, space, and beyond.

A'lanor is never told of how his sister ran into a trade meeting crying that her little brother was flowing, or how all the Paladins had feared the worst as the young prince was engulfed in Quintessence, or how this was the first time in two days he had awaken since he fell into Alfor's arms when the King reached out for him — eyes open glowing bright like the eyes of the Lions. At that moment everyone knew A'lanor had spoken the truth and that he was something special.

 

                                                                  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

He knew someone was behind him and that meant there were two options. 

One, he jumps to the next close platform which is in range, but he could get hit from behind during the leap.

Two, he faces them and hopes he can use his skills to outmaneuver them.

What they don't realizes is that there's a third option. Not a perfected option, but that wasn't going to stop him from trying. Turning to faces the two guards jumping to his platform he lets the momentum throw him into the air and closes his eyes. He wants to be on the hover disc they just came from, standing there completely. He hears nothing, sees only his mind's eye, feels only the stretching of his body as he wills these thoughts into existence. Then all of a sudden all his senses are rushing back and he can hear the loud gasps of his opponents. Not really use to doing this so fast his knees fail to hold him, but his arms work fine as he shoots at the two guards who are just realizing they've been had and turn into the blasts. 

"Simulation over." A robotic voice sounds.

The cheers of the spectators were deafening as the dome retracts to show the stadium of his people who had come to watch him earn his title as a new royal Defender. A great privilege that his sister also endured when she was fifteen years of age. 

"Truly a stunning and _magical_ performance if I do say myself people! The Prince has defeated all his trials successfully and will be deemed a Defender!" Coran's voice booms through the speakers as Lance's platform rises higher into the air.

Lance stands and watches as the rest of the complex arena formatted itself back into the walls  to look like a simple, but extremely empty pool. Waving to his adoring public he does his absolute best to not to make direct eye contact with the royal box. He knew he would be in trouble for the final move he pulled so he decided to enjoy the cheers a little longer before his hover disc took him right to the place he rather not go. Turning to the set of seats he sees Mother, Chief Trigel, and Emperor Zarkon looking on proudly at him as they clapped for him. Father and Allura — Not so much. He finally reaches the box and kneels before his Father without looking at him. As Father walks forward the crowd silences itself as he begins to speak.

"For display ingenuity, strength, and a balance mind in the face of adversity I am honored as a King and as a Father to entitle you and cover you in the rank you have worked just as hard as anyone else to deserve this."

His giddy smile at receiving this honor turned somber as he hear the rustling of fabric as the royal ivory cape with blue lining was laid on his shoulders along with the responoiblites of his new title. To fight and protect Altea until death.

"Arise Defender of Altea, Prince A'lanor."

The roars of joy and applause of the arena start anew and louder than before. He chances a glance at Father in the midst of it, hoping he had forgotten, but can see that he will be relentless in his discipline later.

 

Allura was starting to feel like a tried wife waiting on her husband to come home from a late night out as she was incessantly tapping her foot waiting for her ludicrous brother to walk through the doors of their royal box.

"Ladies! Men! You've been a wonderful audience. I can't wait to see you all again at my coronation. One of you might even be more lucky than that."

Continuing to walk backwards he pulls off his gloves and tosses them into the crowds. She can see from her vantage point that the crowds had started diving for the pieces of clothing as the wailing of teenage girls becomes louder causing her to roll her eyes so hard that it actually hurt her head.

"You have to be the center of attention don't you?" Allura greets him sardonically.

But A'lanor just smiles, "Can't stop what the Ancients blessed me with."

"Urgh give me patience," She whispers before turning on him, "Your recklessness will backfire one day and I hope I'm there to see it."

"Not likely. I'm too good. Too handsome. Too awesome. Too —"

"Too obnoxious. Father explicitly told you to not try any new abilities when going through the trails."

"Oh, but the move you pulled off when it was you run was fine."

"I had no other choice or I would have injured a guard and lost my trials."

"Yes, when Princess Allura breaks the rules it's hailed as thinking outside the box. But when the back-up does it I'm a 'disrespectful troublemaker'," He replies with a snide little smile worming its way on his face, "I honestly fail to see the issue with what I did."

"Don't say that. You know it's not true." She says softly and a little hurt.

But it was completely overshadowed by, "The issue is that you could have disappeared forever." Came the sour and dour voice of Father looking like the imposing King he could be with his cape waving behind him harshly as he strides into the annex looking very displeased.

"Father!" A'lanor gulps as he spins around to face his punishment.

Now Alllura like to follow the standards set by herself and that of the title she carries and show an indifferent facade, but mentally she is crackling up a storm at her brother's troubles because he did do this to himself. 

"You were told not to attempt any of those moves until I was there to study the affects on you, but also makes sure they were safe."

"I knew I would be fine —"

"You are getting reckless with your power. Your developing it too quickly. I will be sitting in on any farther lessons."

"That's not fair I'm not doing anything! These new powers just keep showing up all the time. I can't stop it, they just happens on there own."

"Maybe more tests are needed?" Comes a gruff, but friendly voice.

Turning towards it Allura see Trigel and Emperor Zarkon entering looking over to Lance delightedly.

"Marvelous finish Lance we are very proud of you." Trigel tells him calling him be that nickname he insist on being called.

"Yes we are," The Emperor agrees, "Very impressive last move and a testament to your growing skill. An fantastic show of initiative."

A'lanor flushes and looks away, but she close enough to him to see his ears bend down and his sïqę grow darker at Zarkon's praise.

_Unbelievable._

Allura knew of 'Lance's' admiration for the Paladins, she admired them as well, but he seemed to focus the most of it on the Black Paladin when he was present. He would tell him about his alchemy and fighting training, his well-tour visits, or how the connection with the Lions had matured over the years. His schoolboy crush was just as foolhardy as it was slightly adorable. As she went through these aimless thoughts she was brought back to the present by the rulers' voices.

"Alfor. Again I say you should have him visit Daibazaal."

"With everything happening here and on your planet I don't think it -"

"I wouldn't say that," A'lanor weights in, "I haven't made a schedule for next year. I could plan for a trip or trips now. It's been years since I've gone."

Allura looks to Father as her heart seems to drop and press into the back of her ribcage. He looks like he wants to side against it, but he has no other reason that wouldn't look like he was weary of A'lanor leaving the safety of the Castle of Lions. But she knew why he was concern.

"Yes... well if you haven't figured out your schedule yet than you should talk with Zarkon about his availability."

A'lanor runs up catching Father in a tight hug, "Oh thank you."

Then he's running up to her and grabbing her wrist and dragging her out of the annex yelling back how they'll see them all at dinner. It's not until they get to his room does A'lanor throws himself on his bed and muffles his happy screams with one of his many pillows.

"I was going to complain about how you could have messed up my dress, but now I'm more concerned for your cape."

He hops off the bed and runs into his closet without any other prompting yelling back to 'give him ten doboshes tops'. Allura takes a deep breath and frowns at her excited brother who had been bestowed his new title and now was offered to go learn more about his abilities and seriously wonders if it would be possible to even talk her brother out of this.

She knows what Father is worried about and she is too. It was the so-called Voltron Symbiosis Theory.

She was working on her potions when she had overheard Father speaking and as soon as she heard the word Voltron she was walking over to his lab study to listen in. What she had heard can only be described as troubling. Father was doing a recording and talking about how he and Empress Honvera had concluded that with A'lanor's link to the Lions it was possible that with the right Altean ritual and enough concentrated Quintessence that it would be possible for her brother to control Voltron by himself. But unlikely as it would probably burn through his natural life essence killing him as Father recited. He had run every possibility with similar results.

Why the Empress had even thought of something like this was distributing enough and probably one of the reasons they didn't visit the Galra homeworld as much, Father was concern for A'lanor's safety. And now he was willing going to Daibazaal. She could only hope Zarkon would take his safety over his wife's scientific eccentrics. 

"Can you believe it? I'm going to meet Honerva, she's like one of the best alchemist in the alliance. Maybe the known universe." A'lanor gushes as he slides back into his room in a more relax royal outfit, hair still damp from his quick shower.

A'lanor's joy was almost contagious if she didn't constantly feel a dark edge to whenever Zarkon and her were mention. 

"I'd thought you take your time to gush about her husband." She lightly teases as he jumps back onto the bed with her.

"What are you taking about?" Lance accuses while hitting her lightly with a pillow.

But Allura just raises an eyebrow and smirks, giggling when his ears fall down into a straight line as he mopes.

"Its some fan admiration. Nothing else." He mumbles as he leans his head into the pillow.

Combing her fingers through his damp curling locks she sighs, "Its a sickening crush and I honestly can't believe that someone like you would be pining for someone so cold." 

"He's just stoic, but obviously he has emotions. He did get married for love." Lance argues back, turning his head out of the way of her hands as he rolls off his bed.

"Obviously," The sarcasm dripping from every syllable, "So you see the problem, right."

"Its nothing. Really I promise," He stands up and tries to look serious.

Allura stares back but ends up sighing in defeat, "Okay."

"Good. Now does this look nice enough to go talk to him. I mean the silk shoulder wrap doesn't look to provocative, right?" A'lanor asks immediately ruining his previous statement.

Allura smile cracks a little when she looks at him and fixes his circlet in his hair, but now knows this is not a topic he cannot be easily persuaded on. Even though she knows if they don't talk about it, it will come back to hurt him.

 

                                                                  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

So he'll admit it.

His sixteenth year was a bit ruff and probably could have gone a little better.

A lot better. 

Pretty low on the list of situations he caused was that his abilities had and were increasing — not viciously — at least not yet, as everyone keeps saying. But being able to teleport objects to himself and make copies of himself to throw his guards off probably made him and them very biased, but whatever. It was only a possibility that his powers could go bad and they hadn't. Plus, it made moving around a ton easier.

Next, was the few times he ditched his guards with the help of his magic. Not for anything bad just to go out for a bit and enjoy the city naturally, maybe even flirt a bit. And Allura came on one or two of his incognito city dates too and somehow never got in trouble. After that he may have had gone on a few unsanctioned operations with Voltron by just happening to be near, in a Lion, or just happening to be testing his teleporting at the time of their departure — which they should be grateful of because they would have lost Blaytz or Father if he wasn't there those times. But that doesn't really hold up in defense against this 'obvious wild phase' he _not_ going through. He didn't think there would backlash because he was actually helping the Paladins, the defenders of the universe. But if one is not a Paladin it makes it easier to judge and it gets him into a situation he absolutely hates. But Mother and Father both agreed with it so within the next year he will be marrying Trigel's second mate's only son to calm his rash behavior.

But at the top of the list was surprisingly the long awaited trips to Daibazaal. He was showing up on a pretty regular basis which had help developed his abilities, but it had also stoked his infatuation for Zarkon. The trips and the few stowaway missions had left more than a lasting impression on Lance. Seeing him in the field and sometimes in the throne room gave Lance an appreciation for his character qualities; his tactical mind, his bold leadership, his loyalty, and not to mention his imposing handsome stature. But what Lance cherished the most was the short moments of just him and Zarkon discussing their lives and interests, like the state of their homes or writers that were coming into prominence. On rare occasions even a passing movie that had come out from the Dalterion Belt or Altea. These tender vulnerable moments sent his heart aflutter with adoration and joy. But when he would join him after a session with Honvera and tell him of his and her progress he would look at him proudly setting his heart aflame with his praise and compliments. He had been commended on many occasions, but it was usually in the back-handed way of how they were impressed he did it too since Allura did it better. Zarkon wasn't like that though, all of his compliments were true and free of judgement.

But the fact that he was slowly sliding too far into his love became evident when he witnessed a tender moment between the Emperor and Empress and he caught himself wishing to be in her place. He excused himself from the lab rather quickly after that, feeling like a stranger in his own skin as his blood burned under his skin. His mind whispered and showed him wishful embraces with him and Zarkon together, tempting him farther as he tried to make more time for the Emperor. Which put Lance in a position as he was a good prince, but overall he was a good person and he would never want to ruin relations over his need to be with the Emperor of the Galra. After putting it off more times than he can count Lance was finally leaving Daibazaal with the excuse of other princely duties crowding the rest of his schedule.

Regardless if he place them there or not.

He knew Zarkon would never give up what he had with Honerva for him so he had to stop tricking himself into thinking they could be something by putting an end to what would never be started. 

"I wish I could accompany you to your shuttle, but there is a security meeting that I need to prepare for." Zarkon says apologetically as he walks him to the landing pad.

"It's alright. We know the way back," Lance nods to his four guards down the hall waiting for him, "Thank you for hosting me again. I hope I helped enough with the Empress' work since I'll be busy until the next winter."

_All by design. Being married is an excellent roadblock for thoughts about affairs._

"You've done so much for her research I'm sure she can continue this vein with simple updates from you and her own experiments." Zarkon says encouragingly. 

"I hope so. I just –," And if this was the last time until he'd be okay to be here alone Lance had to tell him about what he was feeling every time he works with his fellow Altean.

"Empress Honvera seems like she needs rest and she – she's so sick Zarkon. Something needs to be done, her essence is getting dark, but I don't what else I can do. Sometimes I've tried to pass my magic to her, but it only works for a few vargas, now doboshes before its creeping back. I'm really worry for her now."

A disquieting frown clouds Zarkon's face as he studies him before laying a hand on his shoulder and leaning down just enough to quietly speak to him.

"I had a feeling, but do not worry. You've done enough and I appreciate it. Thank you for all of it."

Lance doesn't know what he was thinking, maybe it was the fact he definitely made this his last visit or that the Emperor was standing so close and looking down fondly at him in a way that just sent sparks off in his stomach. It's apparently enough for him to be bold, to reach out a hand to hold on to the back of Emperor's neck and eliminates the space between them. He places a chaste kiss on the corner of Zarkon's mouth feeling the softness of his skin that to anyone else looked like leathery skin. He held on a tick longer than he should because when he took a step back he could see not only the shock in Zarkon's eyes, but his remorse as well.

"A'lanor." 

"I—" Lance snatches his hand back like it's been burn, "I have to—"

And even he can't smooth talk his way out of this and runs away, his guards dutifully following him as he leaves the Galra palace behind and his hopes of keeping his crush secret.

 

                                                                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The Corsa crystal bounced lights off like a prism lighting the dark corner of the library he was hiding away in. But this crystal had an added affect of showing the color of the mood the holder was in. This specific crystal was given to him when Zarkon came back with Gyrgan from Kort and had gifted one to him and Allura when they were children. Lance had delightedly showed him how he had learn to infuse power into different objects and made the small palm-sized crystal grow to three times its size. Zarkon had been very impressed as he told Father what he just seen and Father had boasted how he had be excelling in his magic. Lance had been so proud of himself and the crystal had showed it with shining bright and lovely colors. But the colors of bright yellow joy or proud purple were not the colors shining, no only dark pinks of sadness and mourning shone now clashing nicely with the light pinks, grays, and white of his mourning robes.

"Lance?"

He doesn't look up from the crystal, he actually grips it tighter and lets his forehead touch it as he curls more into himself. He tries to hold back his tears, but fails miserably. They fall hot and fast sliding onto the icosahedron gem in his hands. His hood hides his face, but the short harsh anguish sobs tell Allura all she needs to know.

"Oh sweetstar." She says with sisterly love and pity all rolled together as she sit next to him on the window nook and wraps her arms around him.

He wants  to slither out, leave to wallow in his own misery, but he also wants to bury himself in her shoulder and stay there forever. Lance was so conflicted he just stays in his spot and lets Allura give him some sympathy. He tries to stay there in the here and now, as painful as it was, but think back to Zarkon rushing a meeting of Voltron and then spying and hearing the tale of woe he told them. Lance feels horrible just thinking about it. He told Zarkon how he given his own Quintessence to Honvera and how it worked making him partially to blame for their deaths. When Zarkon looked to him when he was leaving Lance saw that he was about to say something and just walked away from him. He never knew his final words, but he could be sure it was probably along the lines of thanking him for the idea or how they would speak about what Lance had down at the Galra stronghold. Either way it hurt his soul and made him cry louder.

"Lance. Please speak to me? How are you?"

"Well I'm not dead like —," He rasps before crying even louder, "He's gone Allura! I shouldn't have said — I can't believe he's really gone."

He cries until he can't anymore and his sister just holds him through it all. Even though Zarkon and Honvera had be gone for a movement and a half the funeral was finally today as all Galra were finally evacuated and time to plan it funeral was completed. Attending a funeral and crying only to cry all over again was very exhausting on him as he falls asleep soon after his outburst. When he wakes up the clouds that overshadowed the day had cleared out leaving only the dusky colors of the sunset.

"Lance?"

"I love - loved him you know." His voice shaky and scratchy from his crying earlier.

"I did."

"And he was just — he was a great person and he cared some much and wanted," His voice catches and he suck in air to steady his heart, "I just wanted him and now he's gone."

He feels Allura nod along with him as he confesses his feelings to the open finally, despite it not making a single difference now.

"By the..." And Allura's sharp intake has him lifting his head for the first time since she came in to see here eyes open in pure fear and astonishment. 

"What?" Turning his head to look out the window to what she sees has him just as confounded.

Teleporting out of Allura's arms as she was still in shock he runs for the southern side of the library for the balcony. He slides out onto the terrace with Allura quickly following and almost running into him.

"Rise up and join your Emperor! Revenge will be ours! The Universe will bend under our will! Vrepit sa!"  ****

"How?" Allura whispers, frighten.

And he catches himself looking at Zarkon's eyes and how they glow yellow just like something else he's seen before, coupled with his memory of the crystal and it all makes horrifying sense.

"The bend in realities. It must have infused them with its own special type of Quintessences and now..." 

_And now they're monsters._

Lance thinks as he hears the being on the screen calling for his people to rise up and attack.

* * *

If we were a system of first landers with technology only enough to get use from one planet or moon before we had to return to our own the war would have taken longer, but with thousands of years of space travel and advances under our belt it was pure massacre from the first moment.

Gyrgan's system was closest to Diazbeel and by proxy the Galra's main fleet. Yellow returned without her Paladin and new scars not seen before on her armor. He was the first Paladin killed in Zarkon's senseless war and it only took four rotations of his planet before three-fourth's of the population was killed. Knowing that the threat from the Galra was true the rest of the Paladins bonded together to fight Zarkon going to the aid of what was left of they fallen system, but sadly at the expense of one of their own. But with all of Zarkon's people and weapons already in space they swept through relentlessly. Moons, commonwealths, and outputs are all destroyed or captured barely anyone spared in these raids of destruction.

Within the next cycles allies are lost and sometimes turned for their own protection, but nothing hurt as much as Trigel returning with Mother's body. She had been bring aid to their closet neighbor and was caught in the crossfire. She had fought bravely, but in the end she had taken a shot meant for the Dalterion Chief. Trigel staged the most impressive and impossible siege battle to simply get through to personal delivery her body. While it did give them a upper hand against the Galra in the Belt Lance spent the next months crying by Mother's mausoleum, clutching her bracelets, unable to handle the sudden lost of his Mother. And far too soon Trigel and Blaytz were lost as well, Zarkon executing them publicly as Nalquod burned in the background. It was the beginning of the end and every Altean knew that as transmission display the impaled bodies of the two leaders. Lance felt more than saw their Lions fly into Altea's atmosphere as he stares hollowly at his walls and wonders how he could ever love someone so monstrously vile. 

* * *

Lance is sure he had never ran this fast in his life, but his world falling around him was pushing him to move faster. He vaulted over a column making it to the main gate and running inside. He had to get to Father and tell him he had successfully sent the Lions away. Having his small connection with all the Lions allowed him to gain entry and set coordinates for far off and random places in their galaxy. He had been reluctant to send them all away, especially Blue, having connected with her first. He did not want to, but he trust Father and he always had a plan. Black was the only one to stay in the castle refusing to move, locked in a bay all for themselves as it sat in turmoil at their former Paladin's action. He climbs toward the bridge before feeling the presence of his Father and sister moving away from the bridge – to the Med Chamber! Bursting into the room he and sees Coran and him placing Allura in a cryopod.

"No!" But the glass has already materialized over and slowly descends into the ground. 

He slides over and fall at the steps as his sister disappears from view.

"I didn't get to say goodbye." He whispers as Father helps him up.

"We have no time for that son. We —"

**ROAR!**

The roar stops anyone else from speaking as they all look out the door.

"Blue?" He gasps before running out toward her presence, barely hearing Father calling out for him.

He makes it out to one of the unbroken ramparts and see across it Blue standing and watching him. Dodging and blocking laser blasts he slides to a stop in front of his favorite Lion.

"Blue! You're supposed to be out of the galaxy by now. You can't stay here you're not safe!" He yells at her, but she only acknowledges him to say that she knows and that she left without someone so she had to return before opening her mouth.

Lance stands there gaping as all other noises are pushed to the background as he tries to comprehend that he was to be a Paladin.

Of Voltron.

Him!

He always wanted it, but not in these circumstance. Never in these circumstances.

"What? No! I — "

A strong hand clasps onto his shoulder making him turn around and see his Father smiling sadly as he looks at him, "You are the new Blue Paladin. That is why she could not leave her Paladin in pain."

"But Father I —," He tries to argue but Father won't hear of it.

"No you must." He says gravely as he walks with him to the Lion.

As they get closer Lance knows there will be less time to speak so he tries again, "But Allura and — " 

"Coran is with her in suspended animation as well. And I ...I cannot come with you." He talks over him calmly.

"No!" Lance shouts pulling him with him toward the mouth of Blue. But he stands firmly in place.

"You will be the first line of defense when the others are found." He continues like he isn't ripping Lance's heart out.

"Please don't make me leave you, Father. _Please_." He begs trying to pull him again.

"Someone must face Zarkon and stall his progress."

"There has to be another way!" 

Putting all his weight into pulling his Father he wasn't ready to be pulled in the other direction. He crashes into his Father's chest and automatically hugs him as he mumbles 'please' into his breastplate as he hugs him back just as fiercely.

"There is not," He says resignedly before he leans back. Lance looks up into his eyes and see they are glassy with unshed tears just like his own. His Father bends down and places a kiss on his forehead and then hold him at arms length.

"I love you A'lanor and know I am so proud of you. Goodbye, I will see you soon."

Lance goes for another hug and his Father embraces him again and while Lance wants to believe his last sentence he knows it won't be true and that's what hurts the most. Blue nudges at him, telling him they must leave now and he reluctantly steps back.

"Goodbye Father."

Turning around and leaping into Blue's mouth he makes it the chair as it slides up into position and from there he sees something that he knows will stay with him for the rest of his days. His Father looking up toward the sky as their beautiful home collapses around him as the Castle starts to lift-off and Blue hovers back from the rampart. He stands as a beacon of white and gold with a cape of deep blue waving in the shockwaves of the ships as his world crumples and he looks braver and stronger than he ever had in Lance's eyes. Blue gets far enough away and rockets off as Lance looks out the side for the few ticks before they're entering the atmosphere and bypassing his sister and Coran. Diligently telling himself to not look back he types in random coordinates for across the universe and it shows him a small planet covered in white. Satisfied with that he gets up and goes down the ramp that leads into the body of his Lion and where two cryopods are embedded into the wall. He opens one and looks up and around the hull with bittersweet joy.

"It's just you and me now Blue. I — wake me up when we — you think its right."

She purrs in response and he feels the vibrations as they travel up from the floor into his legs. He giggles a bit in childlike wonder at these machines that could be so deadly, but also so kind. He steps into his pod and as the glass goes over him and the freezing process begins he can only hope all will go well and the other Lions will find worthy Paladins so they can reunite with a new team and defeat Zarkon. But what he sincerely hopes is that they are not too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fake things I made up for the story:  
> \- Motre fruit are equivalent to dates, but the pit is the eatable part.  
> \- A tsidii is based on the real extinct bird tsidiiyazhi; Trigel looks like a deer and trained on a forest planet so I'm assuming her planet is like deciduous forest ecosystem.  
> \- A chippermore is would be a mix between a bobcat and a bighorn sheep. The word rast was supposed to be roast, but I decided to keep it.  
> \- A movement is a week or so says the Voltron Glossary.  
> \- Firefall is the raining fire rocks Coran talked about once which I find hilarious.  
> \- Defender of Altea is like ROTC, if you want to do it you do, but a lot of young Alteans do it that it seems like a requirement.


	9. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tensions are high in the Castle of Lions. Allura is at odds with Shiro because of the discovery of good rebel Galra, but that means nothing to her. And he's sure if his sister knew where the ceremonial battle axe was she would use it on their guest which is also the person that set Shiro free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> O!M!G!  
> Season 7.  
> I'm only halfway through (last stand was awesome. Families!!! Veronica is a badass and awesome and my new favorite character and Lance has an amazing family. Hunk's family and flashbacks!!!) and because I'm a responsible person with a job I'm going to have to wait til Tuesday. But when it hits I am finishing it and I canNOT wait for the end!

"Are you sure you should be up so soon?" Lance asks as he watches their leader in concern. 

Shiro was sitting almost perfectly straight – too straight – as he clenched and unclenched his real hand while staring intently at the large screen.

"I'm fine. This is much more important." Shiro answers, but Lance can tell he's not completely listening and is just giving him a stock answer.

"I'm not finding any coordinates in here. Are you sure this wasn't just a dream?" Pidge asks not looking up from her screen as she goes through the vast amount of data stored in Shiro's other arm.

"I'm positive. Someone helped me escape." Shiro answers, no doubt in his voice.

Allura looks less than convinces as she ask if Shiro was sure that the being that freed him was a Galra. At his affirmative answer her lips purse into a deep frown, "You know you cannot trust them." 

_We could once._

Lance thinks back to how everything used to be. How seeing a Galra was normal and not followed by the feeling of anger and resentment. How seeing the emperor ensued excitement, not overwhelming dread.

"Your father must have trusted them once. Zarkon was the original Black Paladin, wasn't he?" Shiro says indifferently, but turns an accusing glare at the two. 

Allura snaps to attention looking frightful at being caught in her lie of omission. Lance just stares at Shiro in pure confusion wondering how he knew. Then he remembers hearing a voice when Voltron was being broken apart. Lance knew it was Zarkon's voice, and knowing that he can assume that the emperor must have told Shiro.

"That was a long time ago." Allura says dismissively turning away from the rest of the Paladins.

"Wait, hold up. What?" Hunk throws up his hands and looks around for clarification.

"Didn't you see how he stole the Black Lion right out from under Shiro?" Keith states, voice growing with anger and volume as he continues, "Or that he could do all that cool stuff with his bayard? Shiro's bayard? You know, the black one?" 

"Why didn't you just tell us the truth about Zarkon?" Shiro asks more directly this time.

But Shiro is looking right at him and Lance flinches away in shame. He can almost hear Shiro asking with his eyes, 'Why didn't you tell me?'. And sadly that answer was a simple one.

He wanted to protect himself.

"I wanted to protect you from the dark history of the Paladins so that you would have a chance to bond with your lions on your own. You are the Black Paladin now, not Zarkon." Allura sighs, trying to appease Shiro and sweep the rest of what happened under the rug.

Shiro doesn't look persuaded as his eyes narrow in disappointment, "Yeah, well, the Black Lion may have a different take on the matter.

"Shiro —"

Lance wants to assure him of his place on the team. His place as their leader, but Pidge cuts him off with her findings.

"Wait a second. I think I see it now."

She had found coordinates to the Thaldycon system and after a short debate it was decided that they would go check it out. Lance had started planning his escape the moment they started discussing about wether to go or not, but before he could leave lab six a hand caught his wrist. Even without turning around he knew who it was.

"We need to talk." 

Lance stares into Shiro's stormy eyes and sees he will not be getting out of this. Walking to the closest observation deck on level three they stand quietly in the ambient blue lights as the stars glide pass them on their way to the first clue to Shiro's escape.

"I guess I should ask is that the true reason you didn't tell us?" Shiro starts, sounding vaguely scolding.

Lance can't find any words for once and watches as Shiro gives him a pointed look while folding his arms. All signs that he wasn't leaving until he got something.

"Don't you want to ask why I didn't tell you?" Lance finds himself saying snidely.

The silence is oppressively tense after his remark, but instead of a scowl like he expected a more patient look comes over Shiro's face as he continues to gaze at him – deciding how he wants to answer his sarcastic comment before he unfolds his arms and sighes wearily. 

"I do, but this isn't about me. I — the team needs to know this. I'm not upset with you, but we should have been briefed on everything we were getting into. We were all forced into this and I just don't want my team to be at the mercy of unknown variables. Not again." Shiro's quiet confession is almost swallowed by the faint hum of the Castle's inner-workings.

"I know. I do. It's just – it's not and never will be easy to talk about."

Lance wraps his arms around himself, needing the comfort and grounding as he talks about something he never wanted too.

"I can say that we aren't really hiding anything anymore – at least I don't think so, but you have to understand we remember everything. Everything. And sometimes it's better not to say it aloud again."

Lance looks up asking for Shiro to accept his position on this one topic. He would tell him anything else, but not this.

Not now.

Shiro's gaze goes soft and Lance swears he sees understanding and sympathy in those dark brown and grey speckled eyes. He nods before walking up and puts in a warm hand on his shoulder.

"I understand and I'm sorry. I guess I got used to you telling me things that I didn't think about how it might affect you. I won't push you on this."

But then his eyes become serious again, "Not unless I really have to. I promise that." He softly gives Lance his ultimatum.

He give him one of his comforting shoulder squeezes and turns to leave, but Lance can't leave it there. Shiro's right. He went through this once before and he has so much he could lose if they don't tell him everything.

"I'll try," He calls out at the last second causing his leader to stop in the doorway, "If it's really important I'll try to tell you. I promise." 

He turns back to him and a small smile is on his lips.

"That's all I ask. Thank you Lance."

* * *

They arrived to a xanthorium debris field and Lance is starting to doubt or at least become doubtful of this merciful Galra. Or it could be the split-tick horrible migraine he just got out of nowhere making him rethink his stance on this situation.

He feels bad for lumping all the Galra together like that, but he also feels he has a little leeway with all that's happened. Especially what has happened with him. But then alarms are going off so Lance shelves his philosophical debate to try and capture someone that moves a lot more efficiently than the rest of them combined or apart. When they finally ‘catch’ him it turns out to be the Galra that helped Shiro.

Which is why Lance knows that Shiro is not approving of the way Allura is treating his jailbreaker. And well Lance isn't sure if he should say anything in this matter because in Allura’s eyes they're all bad now and anything he says won't help. Ulaz, the name the Galra's given, states that he is apart of a secret war effort know as the Blade of Marmora. It almost seems to good to be true that there were other people in the fight against this tyrannical empire, especially their own people. But in a show of good faith Ulaz had told them he was alone and exactly where the base was. Which did weight Lance's opinion of the Galra, at least this one, in better terms. And Shiro was already on Ulaz's side and Keith agreed with mostly anything Shiro did. Then their resident brain buddies were so ecstatic about the cloaking device being able to fold space that nothing really mattered any more.

"Welcome to the Blade of Marmora Communications Base Thaldycon," Ulaz announces as the base comes more into focus on the screen, "Now, if you'll free me, I need to send a message to the leadership. They need to know I've made contact with Voltron."

"Go with him and keep an eye on him," Allura orders Shiro and Keith staunchly, "I'm staying here."

"Ooh! Can we go?" Hunk looks over excitedly.

"I want to see how they make the space pocket!" Pidge adds on as she jumps in place looking at the base.

Allura looks at them disapprovingly, but their eyes are too filled with stars to care. Lance would almost find this funny if tensions weren't so high.

"Fine, but be vigilant.” She answers crossly, folding her arms for added effect, but it does nothing to deter them.

They turn to leave, deciding to take Red, only for Allura’s voice to call out to him. 

“I did not mean you Lance."

Lance was honestly surprise she hadn't sent him to his room after she body slammed Ulaz into the wall earlier. His sister's protective streak was as intense as it was annoying. Her tone was filled with hatred and told him there would be no argument in what she had 'royally decree'. But when had he ever listen to his better judgment.

"Allura –" He starts, but she cuts in immediately and harshly.

"You are not going."

"They are my team - "

"And I am your Princess."

"And I'm a Prin- "

"But I am your elder, A'lanor. And you will not leave this ship!"

Allura finally reaching the end of her patience she snaps, stomping her foot and yelling at him. The transition from booming voices to silence is too drastic and leaves everyone frozen in fear of moving and setting someone off.

" ....Of course your majesty."

Lance secedes, lowering his head in embarrassment at having his team witness something like this. He steps away from the door, but his left shoulder is caught before he gets far.

"Lance –" Shiro starts, but Lance just shakes his head 'no' and he stops.

"It's fine," Lance tries to assure Shiro, but he can see that Shiro isn't buying it, "Try not to let Hunk and Pidge's brains explode, okay?"

Shiro gazes at him in concern before nodding, "Yeah.”

After the door closes Lance wastes no time spinning around to face his deeply vexed sister.

"Was it really necessary to ban me from going?" He keeps his tone and his face equally indifferent.

"Yes, it could be a trap." Allura say seriously and Lance just gaps at her.

"A wildly elaborate trap then."

"Do you not understand how important it is that you are not captured!" 

"The same as you!"

"Last I checked I couldn't connect with all the Lions or perform magic on your level."

"How is that a reason?" Lance fires back.

"You could be manipulated to help them." Her voice ice cold.

"Lets says that happens. What about you and what happened five quintants ago." Her eyes narrow at being reminded of her capture, "I was just going to go with my team to check on the base. I mean, I think four other Paladins and one Lion could take on anything he would have planned."

Seeing that she wasn't winning on that front Allura changes tactics that hits him where it hurts.

"This is because you still can't believe he's gone for good." And everything narrows down to just Allura and the fire in her eyes.

"It has _nothing_ to do with that." He hisses clenching his hands, but standing steadfast trying to not let the comment affect him.

"Doesn't it," She spits waspishly, "He is _gone_ A’lanor. He’s not coming back. Not to tell you tale or to give you gifts or teach you anything. And he's definitely not here to lead you astray anymore."

With each accusation she steps closer and closer to him making the room feel like it was closing in around him.

"And now I'm starting to think that your caring nature towards the new Black Paladin is clouding your judgement. You need to grow up."

She glares at him, dares him to say anything else, but at that moment he's speechless at what her anger has made her said. But he's not done yet, he isn't happy about it but she needs to see sense.

"Why should I? Apparently I’m forevermore the young child that runs to you with my newest lesson, telling you how amazing it was. You treat me like a child, maybe I should just act like one! It would make it easier for you to boss me around!"

"When you act like this it's easy to see why I treat you like that. If you would take this seriously instead of skirting your duties to –"

"I have _never_ done that and if you were doing yours; being the ambassador you're supposed to be and not acting like the child you claim I am you wouldn't be acting this way!"

He shouts back at her, throwing her own argument back in her face. He is just so pissed off that she would say he hasn't done his job when has done nothing, but done what he has been told to since they started their new mission.

"Excuse me?" Her harsh whisper almost sounds like a growl.

"Do you not remember learning about the Hertriz," Lance explains hoping Allura will understand the similarities, "One of their leaders went conquering the planet and after 70 years of fighting a small group of officers saw sense and started to fight from the inside. Their efforts broke down the empire in ten years and restored the planet in five. I'm just saying you can't just have one assumption —"

"And what! You expect me to act like nothing happened! To trust them! After everything!" She shrieks as she stomps closer to him, eyes blazing in barely contained rage.

And just like that the fight just goes out of him and he sighs, defeated, "No. I would never — Like Ulaz said we’re trying to win a war with our enemy. An enemy that is more than hundred steps ahead. He is 10,000 steps ahead Allura. I just expected you to see the advantages of us working together." 

She stays silence, but the frown marring her face tells Lance she isn't completely listening to him. But she hasn't stopped him from talking so he continues.

"Allura I am just as livid and sad and all the other emotions you have about everything and everyone we loved being gone. But this is an opportunity that we shouldn't – can't let go of. Obviously along the line these Galra didn't like what was happening so they've been trying to fix it. And we can give them the strength to their intellect. We don't have to interact just — we just need this. We can't keep doing it alone."

He watches as her entire posture softens just a bit before she turns away from him arms crossed. Seeing there is nothing left to say here Lance turns for the door, but stops short of it.

"And I know he's gone Allura. And you know what? Sometimes I wish he had stayed gone the first time."

He leaves the lounge and only gets a few t'qells away before he's sprinting for his room. His doors open and he throws himself onto his bed, screams into his pillows knowing it's from the compounded strife between him and his sister and the recent battle that came with unwanted memories. Either way it has been a large mental drain and Lance just wants a moment away from it all. But he doesn't get his wish because only a few doboshes later the proximity alarm goes off and Coran is shouting about another Galra monster.

 

"Sorry we doubted Ulaz, Shiro. He saved all our lives." Keith apologizes as they walk back onto the bridge.

Shiro is still too lost in his memories and the nauseating feeling of failure to really thank Keith for the comforting gesture.

"I still have so many questions."

He says more to himself, but he knows Keith can hear. But he doesn't push, he knows he'll come find him when he ready to talk. Especially, if he doesn't want Keith bullying him into talking.

"Do you think Zarkon is really tracking us?"

Keith says instead trying to focus on the bigger picture at hand, being Shiro's right hand while he somewhat in dispose. 

"We cannot know for sure. Only Ulaz knew our whereabouts." Allura speaks up. Tone cold and eyes locked on her screens.

"You don't really think Ulaz gave us up? After he sacrificed himself?" But Shiro can see Allura has no doubt in her comment. 

"Yeah! Maybe Zarkon found out about this place on his own. He's probably been searching for the Blade of Marmora." Keith brings up a good point, but Allura bypasses it smoothly.

"It's clear the loss of Ulaz has caused you great concern, but, regardless of how Zarkon located us, we cannot stay here any longer. It isn't safe." And with the she starts to turn the Castle around and flies them clear of the debris field.

"We should meet up with the rest of Ulaz's group, finish what we started." Keith suggest as Allura starts to power up the Crystal for a wormhole jump.

"No," Shiro disagrees before Allura can say anything else to the contrary, "We're not going to the headquarters until we figure out how Zarkon found us. We can't risk losing the only allies we have in this war."

They agree to hold off on finding the rest of the Galra rebels and go down to have dinner after the Castle is safely cruising through warped space. Shiro helps Hunk set out the leftovers because he needs something to do. If he does he doesn't have to think about how Ulaz gave up his life. How they were caught in a war that could killed them. That could destroy Earth if they didn't stop them here. It was so much to have on one's mind, but he just walked out each second out with a deep breathe the reminds himself that he's still alive. That he can still do something. 

Dinner was a noticeable quiet affair, even Lance, their usual chatterbox, was silent slowly picking and eating his food. But it wasn't surprising as everyone had been there for the argument that kept Lance off the communications base. Shiro assumes that after they left that the prince and the princess must have had a falling out over something bigger because this amount of uncomfortable silence couldn't just be from being barred from an outpost. He's sure its center around the Galra, if not Zarkon himself, because it was possible that they both knew him when they were younger. Plus, Shiro notices that while Allura had no problem condemning the Galra, Lance never said a word and always looked conflicted or indifferent. Like he was trying to ignore it. And while they should talk about this, especially with a plan to form an alliance with the Galra rebellion, Shiro said he wouldn't push the topic unless he had to. And looking at the situation now it could wait until tomorrow.

After he helps Pidge clean up the kitchen he decides he needs to keep his mind busy and blow-off some steam in his continuing need to not completely cope with what's happened around him. Shiro makes it to the deck, but finds it dark. Wondering why, he walks further into the room trying to activate the motion sensors, but he stops only a few feet into the deck when he finds Lance dressed in his exercise suit and standing in the center.

He's holding the training staff the Gladiator usually carries and is watching a v-shaped screen that seems to be fast forwarding. Shiro can see Lance didn't want any company and turns to leave, but stops as a face appears in his peripheral. Gradually turning back to the only source of light Shiro sees a frozen image of Zarkon. Though not the one he's come to hate. This one is so much cleaner, livelier than the person he saw when they mental dueled for the Black Lion. Lance takes a deep breath and Shiro remembers where he is, but he can't seem to move even when Lance plays the video and a kinder more tranquil sounding Zarkon echoes off the ceiling.

“You stand here planting your feet like this. And hold your staff – good you're a natural. Now you being much smaller than me and your father you will need to rely on that size. As well as speed. With that and —"

"And cool moves!" A young voice pipes up cutting off the Galra's instruction.

The image pans over and he can see that it was Lance. No more than seven or eight years old at least, in an all white smaller and less padded version of the Paladin armor and a dark green headband pushing back his wild strands of hair that look like a tornado flew through them. 

"Yes and cool moves you can outwit any opponent." Zarkon finishes sounding undisturbed by being interrupted.

"Except me." A girl's voice off screen says smugly.

Lance sticks his tongue out and Shiro has to bite the inside of his mouth to not actually coo at the adorable face he makes.

Zarkon shakes head before kneeling beside Lance, "Don't let yourself be distracted."

"But it's hard. She's so annoying."

The girl, definitely Allura, gasps sounding very offended and the image jiggles a bit letting Shiro know she was the one behind the taping.

"And what does your father say?"

Both little and present Lance say, “Perfection through practice” perfectly in-time and attitude that Shiro can only hear it apart because of the volume difference. 

"Exactly," And with that Zarkon stands up beside Lance in the first stance of attack, "Now let's begin and your one order of business today is to ignore your sister while going through your exercises."

"I can do it." And Lance beams up at him so wide that his eyes are squinting.

"I believe you can." Comes the soft paternal response.

It shuts off suddenly as Shiro watches in shock as Lance chucks the controller he was holding into one of the corners, embedding it in the wall. The prince then sinks to his knees in an ungraceful heap, placing his hands over his face as his shuttering sighs lead into coughing sobs as he tries to keep quiet of his mourning for someone who deserved none of it.

Shiro wants to walk over and hold Lance as he cries, be there for him as the prince has been for him when he has to relive horrible moments and memories. But Shiro knows he shouldn't be here, that he shouldn't have stay as long as he did. Because now he's seen something private and extremely heartbreaking and he can't do anything to help.


	10. Castle Vlog (Multi)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SLEEPOVER!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to just say thank you to all of my readers for the kudos and comments this story is receiving! I'm so happy it's getting good reviews!
> 
> Also I just finished season 7 and wow. I didn't know what to expect from this season, but I still like it because at heart I am an action junkie. It was very heartbreaking definitely, but the imagery was beautiful as always (Shiro saving everyone's ass was amazing to watch and The Atlas, she my new favorite robot and Shiro totally deserves her) and it ended with some serious cuteness (My mom thought I was hurt because I started to scream when Shay showed up in Hunk's hospital room, I really love the both of them) and a bit of a cliffhanger.
> 
> My only two complaints are literally with them calling Lance dumb. He's silly, but not dumb and it was funny with him guessing stuff wrong, but then it just got to be mean when they kept saying it. Also with both their growth I was hoping for a more appreciative comment from Keith than him sarcastically saying he didn't want to be with Lance for eternity. The other was that there was only one flashback of Adam. Though it was Keith's flashback not Shiro's so it makes sense. But I had hoped for him to at least see Shiro again so he could have just another moment of happiness, but with zero mention til now it also makes sense they didn't plan to have him in the show very long. I would have liked to know more about them together, but the past is the past.

"You know what I'm thinking about right now?" Hunk asks out loud as he places another pancake onto Lance's plate.

"How it's too early to go do cardio at the training deck after this?" He mumbles into his hand.

Lance looks utterly exhausted while also glowing from the face mask he had just taken off, but Hunk's attention was taken by what he said.

"Wait! I thought it was weights today?" Hunk looks over sadly to Shiro who's already dressed in his armor and drinking the purple drink that tastes like pineapples, but passes as coffee out here.

"That's tomorrow." He says with an understanding look as he knows Hunk's aversion to running unless he has too.

Weights were much easier for him, plus he could use leg lifts and that was kind of like running. But he knows there's no way of getting Shiro to change the regime. He had tried on many occasions.

"Well now I'm thinking about that." He says sadly as he goes back to the stovetop, happy mood soured.

"Well I would like to know what you were thinking about Hunk. Your thoughts are always so sweet." Allura says kindly all while cutting into her second pancake and looking disapprovingly at Lance for eating the pancake rolled up like a crêpe.

"Oh oh - really, well thanks," Hunk stutters out trying not to be embarrassed as he scratches the back of his head, "Uh - I was thinking about how this reminds me of my sisters' sleepovers."

"What is a sleepover?" Allura ask politely.

He doesn't even think his gasp is that loud, but suddenly everyone at the island looks a lot more alert as they look towards him with wide eyes.

"You don't have sleepovers?" He cries.

And a surprised Allura and Lance shakes their heads 'no'. Keith starts to too, but stops as he looks down at his plate again and starts to push his food through the jelly sauce. Hunk saves that information for later, for what – he hasn't thought that far ahead yet, but he'll do something.

"The sleepover, or slumber party as it is also called, is when a bunch of friends come over and stay the night at one of the other friend's house. They stay in either the kid's room or the playroom depending on how many people you invite. You get ready for bed but then instead of sleeping they stay up playing games, watching movies, gossiping, cooking food. Just seeing how long you can stay up. It's just a lot of fun."

"It sounds like it. Did you have many too?" Allura's eyes sparkling in interest. 

"No, I was scared to leave the house so I only had two at home, didn't make it through the night for another. But my sisters' had a lot and they would let me stay and help cook. Like now. They even taught me some of my favorite recipes then." He says fondly.

"Aww so heartwarming." Allura coos as she places her hands over her heart.

"It is too sweet for my dark soul." Pidge deadpans, but he can see her lips twitch with a smile as she sips her fruity coffee.

"You know, now I'm just imagining cute little Hunk on a step stool in front of a stove." Lance finally speaks up.

The kitchen goes quiet for a few second before multiple reactions happen at once.

Allura almost squeals as she says 'Aww Lance you're right! He'd be the cutest chef'. Pidge's was more of an blasé statement of 'He'd be adorable'. Keith nods along seriously and Shiro just chuckles a bit saying 'I could see it' in a happy tone.

He wasn't really expecting praise so he wasn't ready for it and can feel himself heating up at the kind words.

"Guys, come on, stop please." He laughs bashfully, as he tries not to look at anyone.

"You should be proud," Lance laughs as he pokes him in his side, "I bet you were the main event at cooking time."

Playing along Hunk gives him another tidbit while striking a very proud pose, "Yes well I did hear a few girls say that they only came to the sleepovers for the Fa’ausi I made." 

"And probably to pinch those cute little cheeks too." Lance says a little more lively as he tries to too.

Hunk just smacks his hand away lightly as he finishes up the last three pancakes.

"Oh stop it, but yes. Yes they did." He admits going from humble to prideful in a second.

Thinking back on it, he did go to bed with really rosy cheeks almost every time there was sleepover when his sisters got into high school.

The surprise gasp from Allura scares less of them now that everyone was more awake, except for Lance who was sitting right next to her and looks like he was regretting his seat. 

"What is it Princess?" Shiro ask already standing up from his chair.

"We should have a sleepover!" She says excitedly standing from the island as well, "Me and Pidge can bond over well... we'll figure it out when it happens. And you all can do the same with Lance!"

Hunk looks down to Lance who seems intrigued too, "It does sound fun and we could use our rooms since they are much larger."

"I guess I'm up for some girl bonding." Pidge says coolly as she tries not to grin at Allura's giant smile because of her agreement.

Keith shrugs in the way of agreement and everyone turns to Shiro whose still standing, but with his arms folded in thought.

"Well not much has happened," And Shiro sounds like his oldest sister, Iolana, who would say things like she was considering them before ultimately caving, "And I guess it falls in line with teamwork. Plus, it's been awhile since my last sleepover too." Shiro say with a small smile.

_Called it._

Allura cheers as she starts talking to herself about what she and Pidge can do as everyone else starts to clean-up to get ready for morning training. And even if he isn't looking forward to that Hunk is beyond happy that this was going to happen. It would be like having a little bit of home here.

_This is going to be great._

He can't wait to make this the best sleepover for his teammates and of course for Lance and Keith. They've both been very reserved since the thing with Ulaz a week and a half ago, but tonight that will all change.

 

Pidge wasn't upset about never having a sleepover. She didn't have friends when she was growing up and even if she did she would have cut them out of her life to focus on looking for Matt and Dad. She never wanted to do one and she's pretty sure Allura wants to do this because she's the only other girl.

 _Or she really wants to spent time with me._  

Pidge finds herself pausing in the hallway on her way to the princess's room thinking on that passing thought. Allura never made any one of them a favorite for her time. Besides Lance, but that was because of family. But she would discuss food and mechanics with Hunk around meals if she made it to them. She would talk to Keith and Shiro about strategies. And Allura would even come down to the hanger lab when she had been working for who knows how long and convince her to get some sleep. She was friendly with everyone and probably wanted to get to know her better. Get a true friend, like how Lance and Hunk had gotten along. 

"She's probably still lonely." Pidge whispers as she stands in front of the door.

Pidge knows what it means to be in a room full of people and to still be completely alone. But this team. They made her feel like family and back home that was to only place she felt crowded, and wanted it.

Pidge nods to herself before knocking on the door. Allura opens the door much faster than she had expected, but knowing how eager she was it shouldn't have been a surprise.

"Hey Princess."

"Hello Pidge and tonight is an informal night. Please feel free to call me Allura." The princess was grinning so wide Pidge was actually worried about her face muscles.

Pidge looks around the room and beside noticing that the room is really large she sees that there is a wide variety of sparkling and shiny things. There was a full on sitting area to her right with a rounded settee and two chairs with a oval tea table and teaware. Allura had a bookshelf the length of the wall and five shelves high behind the tea setup full of the datapads. Next to it was a large closed door that Pidge assumed was a closet. On the other side of the room was Allura's large oddly shaped bed with the white drapes with blue sparkles that would cut it off from the rest of the room were pulled back. There's a vanity next to it with the largest mirror she's ever seen too. In front of Pidge she sees a set of five beanbags on a large lavender rug. Over it there was three small shelves hosting some very shiny baubles and four stuffed aliens that were color coordinated. One even looked like King Alfor.

"Pidge please come sit here!" Allura pats the pillow next to her with barely contained joy.

Pidge finally looks at Allura and sees she dressed differently then the last time she saw her in her pjs. She actually could past for one of those girls in a high school movie with all loose grey tank top and green shorts. She was still wearing her robe from before and her hair was down. In comparison to Pidge's baggy grey sleep pants and oversized green shirt. Overall, Pidge can tell she putting a lot of effort and she was not going to waste it. One night of pure fun didn't hurt anyone.

Sitting down in her extremely soft pillow, so soft she sunk into, Pidge pulls on what little strength she gained and shuffled over closer to Allura. She watches as Allura's eyes go wide before a bit misty as she smiles at what Pidge has done.

Leaning back and get comfortable Pidge leans over and asks in a conspiratorial whisper, "So what do you want to do next."

There are literally stars in the princess's eyes as she leans into too and says in an excited hushed voice,

"Everything!"

 

So Keith did live up to his title of loner and didn't have any friends at all on Earth. Not even acquaintances. He didn't have that until Shiro started mentoring him and made it his mission to be friendly and bring out the best in him. He didn't think he was missing anything that he heard people talk about in passing, it sounded like it caused a lot of problems and drama, which Keith want nothing to do with. And right now he wishes he didn't agree to this because who thought that him and Lance in a confined space was a good idea.

"Come on. Why not?"

"Why do you want to?"

"You want the truth?"

Keith could really care less — and he did, but he shrugs and lets Lance talk.

"I am genuinely bother by the fact that you don't do anything to your hair and somehow it looks good. Even if your hairstyle is peculiar."

They stare at each other as Keith waits for any other weird statements, but nothing comes.

"...That's it?"

"That's a very valid reason." Lance defends.

Keith finds himself turning around, looking to Shiro for help and he is given none.

"Maybe you should. It might be fun." He says with an award-winning smile.

And that's how he ends up with a braid crown around his head.

"TADA!"

Keith watches his reflection as his mouth turns down more and more into what has to be his most unimpressed grimace to date.

Hunk starts sniffling behind him and he looks back at him using the mirror and Keith's face becomes more distorted as a full-on scowl takes over his face as he watches his horrible teammates in the glass.

"He's just so much more radiant now," Hunk cries crocodile tears, actually looking like he was overcome with emotions.

"Yeah like a black hole." Lance says as he finishes with pinning the braid in.

"Oh now its like a supernova." Hunk follows up as Keith tries to glare at him through the mirror because Lance won't let him turn his head.

He tried once earlier and got smacked with the brush the prince was using to smooth out his hair at the time. Keith learned his lesson so he found another way to show his displeasure. Seeing that his scowl didn't scare Hunk anymore he turned some pleading eyes in the direction of Shiro only to see him trying to contain his laughter, by the way his head was ducked and his shoulders shook.

"Guys, come on, stop it." Shiro finally says, looking a little too pink from holding in his laughter.

"You don't care." Keith grouses as he madly gestures at his face then at the mirror to point out the makeup on Shiro's reflection.

Somehow Lance convinced them that he was going to make them all look as nice as they should be. This meant Hunk got a manicure. He got his hair braided. And Shiro got eyeliner and eyeshadow, which didn't seem to phased him at all. He even chuckled a bit, all soft and small, as Lance applied the blue eyeliner and the two shades of purple eyeshadow.

"Not really. It's fun, plus I don't look half bad." Shiro smiles a true smile.

And seeing that smile was becoming rarer and rarer. And Keith thinks that if something as ridiculous as putting on makeup and hanging out with friends can get Shiro to be a little bit of what he was on Earth then sleepovers might not be so bad.

"Shiro you couldn't look bad in anything." Lance say slyly with a wink as he finishes putting in what looks like a row of ruby flower pins that sit on the outside of his braid.

_This is way too extravagant._

"Thanks Lance." Shiro says and Keith can hear the smile in his words.

Lance gets up from his spot of kneeling behind Keith to go over to an overly excited Hunk telling Lance 'to do his best'. But not before resting a hand on Shiro's right shoulder before passing by. Keith takes this moment to look at his hair, which isn't half bad, not that he would ever tell Lance — he doesn't need the ego boost. But he also uses it to look at Shiro who is sitting cross-legged on the prince's bed and just watching him with such a fond look.

One he had seen before many times. Just directed at someone else.

Keith can be bad with emotions, but he can read the atmosphere and he isn't dense. It's easy enough to see how Shiro will turn to Lance first dealing with anything alien instead Allura, or how Shiro gives Lance extra compliments. He definitely sees the long looks both of them sometimes give each other and Keith doesn't care, but he can't see why he would chose him. But then again Lance can be a decent guy sometimes so maybe it won't be a bad match up, especially since Lance can make Shiro laugh and slow down.

After Hunk's fingernails are clear of a oil and cooking grease Lance announces that there is a movie they have to watch because it is both hilarious and a mess. So Shiro being the golden boy he is volunteers to get some drink to go along with their snacks. So while they wait Keith kind of gorges himself on the puff balls Hunk said were supposed to be macaroons, completely fine with sitting in silence.

"We should talk about something." Hunk speaks up, but still looking fascinated with how shiny his nails are.

"Like what?" Keith asks around a piece of the macaroon ball.

"Oh.. uh ...I don't know maybe like the coolest places we've been since we've left Earth. Like planet, moon. Space anomaly?" He answers back in a questioning tone.

"Or we could talk about the coolest people we've meet," Lance interjects teasingly as he looks over from his vanity, "Like your Balmeran, Shay, and how you're over the stars for her." 

Hunk's face goes through a variety of expressions as he tries to answer Lance, "Pssh – What!? I'm not – she's her own Balmeran. It's not like that!"

"I remember Swrin and Plaxum being very happy you save them and you said and I quote 'Uh thanks mermaid ladies, but I – I kinda like someone else'." 

"Oohhh." Keith calls out very indifferent, but he felt like that deserved his input.

"I don't sound like that and Keith, shut up." Hunk huffs.

"He's just speaking the truth." Lance says with a teasing tone as he starts to put the greenish face mask on.

"Your eyes did light up around her. Like when we tell you we like your cooking. Or tell a story about your family. Or when something you and Pidge work on works the first time." Keith adds calmly counting off the piece of evidence that incriminated Hunk's care for Shay.

"See the emotional stunned one can sees it too." Lance throws in as he laughs.

Keith just frowns at him.

"Well you're one to talk." Hunk says dangerously.

Apparently Keith wasn't the only one to notice the prince's infatuation with Shiro.

"I don't know what you're talking about?"  Lance say in a completely unconvincing way while also turning his head to look elsewhere.

"Don't you?" Hunk says looking over with a superior smirk on his face.

"No .... Okay yes."

_Caved instantly._

"Does... does Shiro ever talk about me?"

"Yeah all the time, like during training." Keith finds himself saying as a half-truth. 

Shiro talks about Lance during training, but it's usually like how he's done so well at learning how to work as a member of the team. Though there has been an occasion or two where he pointed out Lance's kindness or intelligence which had Keith looking at him confused and Shiro staring off into the distance none the wiser to how he sounds.

But as he watches Lance freeze up and gets a dopey smile on his face Keith thinks what he doesn't know won't hurt him. Just then his eyes lands on one of the prince's many pillows and a wonderful plan takes form.

"And he's like 'Ah Lance, he's so cool and an inspiration to the others. He could be so great one day' and then he stares into the distance all soft like the super cool person he is." Hunk gleefully adds on.

"Really!"

And the moment he spins around Keith hauls the pillow in his hand and smack Lance directly in the face. Hunk's loud laughter fills the room as he falls sideways and Keith smiles at the gobsmacked look Lance is giving him. But then his eyes harden and he snatches the pillow from under Hunk, which surprises both of them before they're laid out on the floor. They look up at their aggressor — who has two pillows now, a smeared face mask that looks like war paint, and has a smile that turns into a ferocious grin with too many teeth.

"It's on now."

And at that moment Keith couldn't have been more ready or happier he decided to come to this sleepover.

 

The soft smile on Shiro's face is not going away anytime soon as he thinks about how this sleepover idea wasn't half bad. He hasn't really relaxed like this since his time at the Garrison. Overall, tonight was the most fun and the most relaxed he had felt since it apparently became his destiny to be in outer space. And while he wished the circumstances of being here was different he did not regret the people who he had come to be his second family.

Keith will always hold a special place in his heart and be the younger brother he had always wanted. Bright, if not very reckless he had a different, but profound outlook on situations that told Shiro when the moment arised Keith would make a great leader. While he didn't know Hunk from before he was one of the only ones Keith had said anything about when he asked about his squadron. How he was really shy and unsure, but probably one of the smartest people he's ever meet. But Hunk had really grown from that, sure he could still be on the skittish side, but soon his courageous and protective natures won out and there was nothing the mechanic couldn't do or fix. Katie — Pidge he had heard about from Matt, which when ever he spoke about her made him almost sound like a very proud parent showing off their kid. Which Pidge deserves all the praise her brother gave her because she takes initiative and thinks ahead for stuff they haven't even thought of. Plus, she was fiercely loyal and work just as hard as anyone else on the team. 

The Alteans were an all together different, but similar ballgame. They had different customs and outlooks on their opinions but were still fundamentally very human-like. Coran was like a ridiculous uncle one would usually see in a sitcom, with his weird humor, wacky stories, and wild advice, but deep down was a very caring intelligent man that kept them and the ship running in smooth order. And Shiro knows that was no small task. It was difficult for him and his team for their 150 foot shuttle rocket to Kerberos, he can only imagine a 2.5 mile long ship that doubled as a castle was an intense responsibility. Along with keeping two headstrong curious royals in line. 

Shiro finds himself laughing at that because even though the siblings are chronologically older then them they were still the same age as when they went to sleep and sometimes acted younger than that when they were around each other too long.

They had adjusted to the new time well and were more involved in this war, but fought with everything they had to make sure no one else lost what they had. Allura was the personification of royal elegance with her almost British accent and strong will. But she has a softer side that actually overshadows her royal mannerisms sometimes when she interact with them and especially her brother whom she was very protective of. She and Shiro had quickly formed a fantastic work relationship that Shiro had only had with two other people in his life. And after fighting with her in the cargo ship he would absolutely have her on his side in any fight.

Lance is... Lance was much different from his sister. His accent is softer than his sister, but his taste for adventure is definitely greater than Allura's. Shiro had heard a few stories from him running around the royal gardens and the secret halls within the Castleship when he was younger and later his few missions with the original Paladins. He was also a little dorky with giving people nicknames and being ridiculous like asking Coran for a siren or doing a ziplining challenge against Keith that ended up with both of them getting hurt. But beside being a thrill-seeking flirty prince Lance was a dedicated member of the team trying his hardest. He attempted to be friends with everyone and tried to make their transition into the world that he knew much easier. He had helped Hunk label some of the food products, he gave Pidge a small holo-book the told her what machine parts were what, and even sparred with Keith from time to time. And Lance had helped him personally with staying up with him some nights just so he wouldn't be alone.

_I really do have a great team and a great group of friends._

Juggling the drink pouches into one arm Shiro presses his palm into the unseen button that opens the door. Though not to the scene he thought he would which could have been gentle conversation, but instead Keith was on the ground holding a twisted up towel out in front of him as protection from a pillow coming towards him that stop when the door opened. Lance had two pillows in his hands and was holding a foot down on Keith and had a pillow to the face from Hunk while the other pillow was in Hunk's face. They had all stopped frozen in their actions as they turned to him when he opened the door. Shiro only has a split second to see the closest pillow and leap for it before the others look at each other and yell 'truce' and were on him.

After his miraculous win they settled down and helped clean up Lance's room before sitting on his wide and extremely soft couch as the prince places a small disk on the ground and it creates light in a wide enough angle to accommodate a rectangular screen. They all assumed that they would have to listen to Lance explain the premise of the story until the title showed up and below it in white letters was the title _"Closer than you think"_ in English. When they all turned to Lance he sheepishly told them he had worked on this all day after training so they could watch it. Thanking him everyone made sure to watch the movie that Lance had worked so hard on so everyone could enjoy. And it was a pretty funny movie with the main characters being good friends and trying to set each other, but would end up having to save said friend from an awkward or bad encounter. Shiro could assume they would figure it out by the end, but the movie was good nonetheless. It was funny and cringy as Lance said and had everyone laughing, Shiro even hear Keith laugh under Hunk's roaring laughter. But near the end of the movie when the one blue alien was confiding with their mutual friend Shiro felt a weight on his left shoulder. Looking over Lance had fallen asleep on his shoulder. 

_It seems that its going to be a thing between us._

And Shiro really didn't care. He liked his personal space, but wasn't super ruffled when it was invaded like this. It was nice to know that Lance trusted him and didn't care how broken Shiro was with a missing arm and all his scars. No one else cared either, but Lance had been one of the first ones on the team to tell him he wasn't broken. Honestly being alone with Lance was like a balm on his soul, making him relax or smile in stressful situations. And lately it seems that spending time with the lovely prince was doing some good for both of them, especially for Lance after everything that happened almost two weeks ago.

 _Lovely? ...Oh no_.

Having his thoughts catch up to him Shiro didn't know what was more cliche; watching a romcom and realizing his feelings or the fact that he had when Lance had fallen asleep on his shoulder again. Shiro knew the soft feelings of a developing crush from where they were pushing at the back of his mind and against his ribcage and he wasn't even sure how he was supposed to address this.

First, they were in a intergalactic war where each moment could be their last, but also there was no time for mistakes or feelings getting muddling in their work ethic. Second, there was an age gap with Lance being both younger and older than him which was causing him to debate if this was even okay or not. Third, did he personally even want to be in a relationship after how the last one ended. Not to say it could happen again, but the pain of Adam ending their relationship over his decision and the fear of him having to choose again made Shiro second guess. Plus, would Lance even want him. Sure he flirts with him from time to time, but did it mean anything? And if the prince found out more about him would he want someone as shattered as him.

Unable to really come up with any solid answers to his questions he decides to just sit back and finish the movie and address these concerns later when he was more awake and Keith could be his sounding board.

 

Allura was in paradise.

This sleepover is one of the best things that happened to her since she woke up. It made her feel free for once from all the burdens of this war and consequences of Voltron not being there to save the victims of this oppressive regime. Instead she was letting loose and letting the night dictate her fun. First Pidge first talked with her about her ship's interwokings and their favorite parts. This was followed by Pidge making the attempt to do her hair while she attempted a video game on the Green Paladin's phone, and then they even got into a deeper topic about her family and trading stories about their brothers and then their parents. A few tears were shed, but luckily the mice came by prepared with tissues and cheek snuggles. Trying to cheer each other up Pidge told her how sometimes people would pull pranks on one another leading to them running down the hall from leaving a small surprise in Coran's room. Thinking he woke up they sprinted from his bedroom as fast as their bare feet could take them.

"Oh I hope it works out. It is his favorite design after all." Allura beams as she jumps onto her bed, feeling as energetic as she did when she was a child.

"Wow. Your bed has some bounce to it." Pidge comments as she walks over after check the hall, an equally large smile on her face.

In that second Allura has an idea. Standing up and walking across her bed she hefts Pidge onto the bed and drops her. The smaller girl catches herself and bounces once before looking up confused. 

"Bounce with me Pidge." 

And the smile she gets is a wide as the last as they start laughing and bouncing around her bed. Even the mice join in, flying high in the air with them sometimes catching them or they just hoping along to. 

"I have done this since me and Matt were kids." Pidge says slightly out of breathe as she curls into a ball and bounce twice before getting back up again.

"I thought the same think about me and Lance. When we were both in the nursery we would hop between beds." Allura replies equally winded before noticing that Pidge is copying some of her jumps and she has another fantastic idea.

"How could I have forgotten?" She mutters as she stops jumping and carefully watches for the mice before clambering off.

"What?" 

"A game we have," Allura answers as she looks through her data collection, "You have dance the same as the people on the screen to win."

The gasp behind her as Allura spinning around to look at Pidge who has an awe look on her face before a mischievous grin forms on her face.

"You have Dance Dance Revolution?"

Allura quirks an eye and finds the coincidence ridiculous.

"We called it Dance Elevation. I've been tied with Lance for five...well 10,005 years, but I think I can play you." Allura says slyly as she tossed her head back to flip her hair to the side before remembering that all her hair was braided into what Pidge called a fishtale and was looped around her head a few time.

Pidge giggles at her failed attempt to look cool and flips her own hair back, "You are talking to a Dance Revolution champ three years running," She declares as she hopes of the bed before making a power stand, "Bring it Princess."

Allura smirks trying to hold in a laugh, "Your challenge is accepted Paladin."

She finds the pad she wants and turns it on and dailing up the game before placing it on the tea table behind her. She sees Pidge is already on her dance pad that lit up with the different symbols for movements.

_Thank you Mother for the best seventeen name celebration present. I have a friend to play it with._

Taking her spot two tiles over Pidge looks over inquisitively.

"Is there something wrong Pidge?" Allura ask genuinely concern.

"It's just there are for more directions then I'm used to. But I'm sure I'll get it. There just diagonals right?"

"Correct. I'll set the game for signs instead of it telling us." Allura says sweetly before Pidge grabs her wrist.

Looking back she meet with a determined look, "Then how will I prove that I can take the crown?"

Allura blinks at her not surprised by her competitiveness and actually spurs her on because she knew Pidge was smart enough to figure it out and it would make it that much more fun. Immediately stepping back in the center she flashes a devious grin.

"Best three out of five. Show me what you're made of Paladin."

"You got it Princess." 

 

_This wasn't a bad idea._

Lance thinks as he yawns and stretches for the third time since he and Hunk got to the kitchen. As he set out pompo fruit so he could cut it and the ingredients for omelets so when Hunk got back he could just start cooking Lance thought about their sleepover. It had started off good and had gone great, but he had fallen asleep towards the end of the movie. He apparently fell asleep on Shiro again and Hunk had to take him to bed, but because he was somewhat of a 'belligerent snuggler' as Allura had so gently put it and Hunk ended up sleep in the bed with him and not on the floor like he said he would. Honestly it was all apart of Lance's plan — it wasn't, but he didn't want Hunk sleeping on the floor and well as luck had it Hunk didn't. Shiro and Keith camped out on his couch, where they still were, and lucky no one had any nightmares. And being the great friend he was he let them sleep in.

_Maybe it was all the good memories we made._

Lance thinks as he starts laughing quietly to himself as he starts cutting off the husk of the small fruit. His concentration breaks though when the door hissed open and Lance turns around to greet Hunk, but also sees Shiro and Keith. Shiro had apparently washed off the makeup from last night, but still looked nice and a lot chipper than usual. Meanwhile, Keith looks simultaneously run over and well rested with the braid crown still intact. Shiro gives him a brief wave before they started setting out everything so everyone can eat. It isn't until the tarffa — or as Pidge called it in heavenly awe, coffee, — is poured and the omelets were sizzling that his sister and Pidge show up. A magnificently long braid trails behind her as Pidge lifts herself onto a stool bedecked in one of Allura's ceremonial crowns.

"What's the occasion?" Lance asks making Pidge puff out.

"You're looking at the new champion of Dance Elevation." She says proudly.

Lance stares at the smug human in horror before shaking his head 'No', "Draca-shit."

"It's true. Pidge has beat both of our scores soundly," Allura leans over the island and faux whispers, "Her tiny legs are quick."

"Fuck yeah they are." She says around her cup.

"Language." Shiro chides, more out of habit than anything else.

"You didn't scold Lance." Pidge complains.

"Because Lance doesn't have a love affair with the f-word." Shiro replies with a straight face.

"Touché."

Soon they were eating in no time and the kitchen is filled with pleasant sounds as everyone talks about what they did; Hunk telling Pidge about their movie, Allura telling Keith she had great pins to put in his hair, while he told her about the pillow fight and how they had attempted to win against Shiro and failed. Lance really didn't engage in the talking for once, just sitting back and loving the happy and relaxed atmosphere of everyone enjoying their time together. He catches himself glancing over at the only other quiet person at the table, and one of the ones he most cares about, and sees something that brings a perplexed smile to his face. Leaning his right elbow on the counter Lance leans into Shiro's space to see if what he saw was real. 

"Shiro?"

And the man turns to him, cheeks adorably filled with food and eyes open wide at how close Lance had gotten. And while he takes a moment to appreciate the cuteness of this handsome man his thoughts are also confirmed. Taking his left pointer finger he lets it hang just above Shiro's left eye and gently follows the well-drawn line to the tip and watches as Shiro struggles to swallow, but also flushes a light pink like the first time they meet. He waits as Shiro doesn't look away, but starts to look unsure of what to do next.

"Shiro? Do you want to talk about it?" Lance whispers giving him a way out, but Shiro shrugs.

"It's just," And he stops before continuing in a quieter tone, "It's been awhile since I wore it, but it was a habit before everything and well..." Shiro trails off and Lance catches some of Shiro's blush traveling down his neck and past his sleep shirt making Lance a little warm under the collar too before he pulls himself back to the more important issue.

"Hey, you don't have to explain," Lance says as he places his right hand over Shiro's left and understanding in his voice, "You can take it if you want it. I have more and I don't use the black one at all. Plus," Lance nudges at Shiro's shoulder and looks up as Shiro smiles softly down at him, "It really _really_   works for you."

Lance watches as the smile goes bashfully and Shiro turns away for a bit before turning back and offering a soft 'Thank you'. Day thoroughly made, Lance was going to go back to eating breakfast and enjoy the serenity of being with his friends when a scream is heard echoing through the vents. They're used to hearing Coran do something to himself while maintaining the ship and don't give it a second thought. But they are not use to him running through the door almost immediately after. Coran slides to a stop and everyone is in shock as his face is flushed from exertion and anger as he simply points viciously at his mustache which was now decorated with neon green and brown chevrons. Silence overtakes the kitchen as no one knows what to do in the face of a livid Coran. But Keith and Shiro, who both have low self-preservation skills, snort at the sight and soon everyone is holding back horribly contain laughter, even Allura has tears in her eyes, as they try to ask what happen. As he tries to catch his breath Lance can't help thinking again, 

_This definitely wasn't a bad idea._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- I know what Allura's bedroom looks like, but I decided to jazz it up because I can.  
> \- Also I'm naming Hunk's other sister Kisha; a year younger than Iolana, but four years older than Hunk.  
> \- And I know Shiro's eyes are drawn to make him look more Japanese, but I just think the idea of him wearing eyeliner is just too cute.


	11. Castle Vlog (Keith)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Keith? You're saving me? So valiant."
> 
> "It's not like I'm trying to be a knight in shining armor. You just needed to be saved."

Shopping is a chore.

He never liked going the few times he went with Shiro while he was at the Garrison and he couldn't really remember if he ever went with his Dad. But if it wasn't important he wouldn't be doing it. As they wandered around the Larcz's market moon Keith scanned for threats instead of capacitors or integrated circuits like Pidge and Lance were doing. They had split up into two groups so they could get this supply run done faster; Lance, Pidge, and him would look for part for the ship that were damaged in the wormhole jump and the recent robeast attack. Meanwhile Shiro, Coran, and Hunk were looking for more food and other needed products. Keith knows Shiro put him with Lance and Pidge to be like security since Pidge gets lost in her own mind and Lance is ...well Lance, but food shopping sounded infinitely more fun than being here looking at four machines that pretty much look the same.

"No, Pidge I'm telling you that a télé-analytical converter will be better —"

"Only if we do a data pull from the server's encrypted alternator. Which I understand that we can, but you never know when you'll need a diagnostic synthesizer. It would be great if there is something that doesn't have the same corresponding components of the ship and we need to power it." Pidge smiles up at Lance in a similar way Allura would before he would give her whatever she wanted.

"Well I guess you do have a good point." He says after a beat and Keith just rolls his eyes because now that's just one more thing to put in their cart.

"So we can get it?" And with Lance's nod of approval Pidge happily runs up to the female alien running the store front.

"How are you going to carry this all back? It only holds so much."

Keith asks as he looks back at the hover-cart, which was only four by four feet and was already filled to the brim with machinery.

"Well you're the security, right? That's your job." Lance smirks as he adjusts his two gold bracelets on his left wrist.

"What?" Keith answers, voice drier than the desert he used to lived in.

"My guards had to figure out how to do it too when I over-shopped all the time. I'm sure you could do it too. Besides you're strong or something, you could carry anything else." The prince says gleefully as he hides his arms back under his cloak and walks over to stand with Pidge.

Keith was seriously considering dropping his 'so-called charge' instead of the other way around and going to look for Shiro and the others. He had seen Lance fight, he could take care of himself. But he wasn't supposed to and even if Keith did he waited too long thinking 'Lance-free' thoughts that Pidge and Lance were already loading the triangular-shaped object into the bin before setting off again. Keith just groans and follows behind them before realizing something.

"How are you paying for all of this?" 

Both stop and turn around to look at him in bewilderment and concern.

"What?" Their stares making him look away from them.

"I'm pretty sure you were on the bridge when we discuss this." Lance says, but sounds increasingly unsure about whatever it was that he was referring to.

"Discuss what? Just tell me!" Keith snaps, not enjoying being left out of the loop.

"That we needed parts, which cost money, so we robbed a bank." Pidge answers him in a blasé tone like they hadn't done something illegal.

"What!"

"Do you know any other words?" Lance grins at him mockingly.

Pidge steps forward and in front of Lance as Keith tries to advance. Adjusting her glasses she stares at the two of them.

"We didn't have any money and any Allura and Lance have doesn't work so I scanned around and found one of the banks, well bank planets. It was like the cloud that we have, but stored in a helix matrix and then provided on a planetary scale to hold the information from – "

"Pidge."

"Right. Anyway me and Coran went down to the closest planet and plug ourselves in and got the money that way."

"And you just stole from people." Keith can't really wrap around his head that one, they had done this to innocent people and two, that Shiro thought it was a good idea.

"Actually it was from Sendak, a lieutenant named Yorak, and a general named Tre'yek," Pidge says matter-of-factly, "Actually we cleaned Sendak out, I'm surprised that his saving were still there. Must have a different taxing system." 

Keith blinks at the new information, "Oh." 

"I see you don't care anymore." Lance smirks.

"Whatever," And Keith can feel himself frowning again as the prince cuts through his patience, "Is there anything else we need to get?"

"Just a network gate stabilizer to account for the error displacement of where the Castle stays when cruising through the wormhole, we've been doing it manually and its been a hassle on the guidance system." Lance says, surprisingly without any other side comments.

"Great. Let's find it." He says curtly as he starts pushing the bin in a different direction.

It takes them only ten minutes to find the last piece, which was thankfully a very small component that wouldn't take up anymore space. The only problem was that the alien selling it was an ass and wouldn't sell to Pidge because she was a she. Either females on this alien's planet were very oppressed or the guy was an ass like Keith first thought and was just being a misogynist. He honestly wanted Lance to let Pidge go so she could fight the desert shrew-looking alien, especially after he sneered at her and said she didn't even smell like a good female. Hell, he wanted to too, but the glare Lance gave him would melt even the Red Lion's armor so he stood back and glared menacingly at the shop owner. 

"It's not worth it. Will find another one." Lance struggles before put their fuming teammate next to him.

She simply glowers at Lance and then at the shop owner before turning her back to everyone.

"Pidge," The prince says sounding hurt that she won't turn around, "I'll make it right."

And as he walks back up to the cluttered counter Keith looks down to their youngest and sees the saddest look on Pidge's face to date, like she was going to cry.

"Hey," And when she looks up he smiles the best he can, "You could've totally taken him." He whispers.

A small smile appears as her usual confident façade starts to come back.

"I know." She replies just as quietly.

He gently knocks her shoulder, or in her case the side of her head, but it's enough to get her to giggle a bit.

"Excuse me?" A flat and extremely offended voice breaks their small bubble.

"You heard me. I don't sell to females and I sure as phalx don't sell to whores." The shop owner answers, his voice gravely as his made-up superiority drips from his words. 

"And what would make you think that I work like that for my currency?" Lance asks annoyed, leaning onto the counter. 

"Kinda hard not to tell with the wardrobe you have there." The alien sniffs and nods to Lance.

"There is nothing wrong with my clothes." Lance scowls as Pidge says darkly, 'Punch him in the face.'

Keith had seen Lance's outfit and while he thought it was a bit much, the words whorish or slutty didn't come to mind.

His [shirt](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://scontent-sea1-1.cdninstagram.com/vp/7256eb5f887519c8ca3731e487b694d8/5BD284A6/t51.2885-15/e35/c2.0.745.745/s480x480/29738217_435108680250520_278213700668620800_n.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.webstagram.one/tag/princelance&h=480&w=480&tbnid=XZkS0ViMpJayUM&tbnh=225&tbnw=225&usg=__13YgzmoMTn28cATz6wBMqYeqRNM=&hl=en&docid=IC7_aJRuXp0UtM&itg=1) came in two pieces; a black sleeveless shirt that had a small teardrop shape cut out at the top, below his Adam's apple, and the second one was an off the shoulder transparent blue top that had sleeves that hooked down to his middle fingers with a ring. It did show how skintight his regular shirt was, but his pants and thigh high boots seemed normal enough. Most of his outfit was covered anyway because of his deep blue and white cloak the almost reached his feet and a wide hood that covered most of his face from view.

_Maybe it was the amount of jewelry he had on?_

Which was numerous. Lance had on his circlet, the four bracelets he always wore, three sets of earrings, and a thin golden choker. 

But either way, you don't call anyone on Keith Kogane's team a whore and you definitely don't tell them they're a pitful version of their gender.

"Tell that to the other customers staring at you now."

Keith glances around the store quickly and sees a few other customers in the short aisles turn away immediately so not to be caught red-handed in what the shop owner just said.

"Punch him the eyes." Pidge growls.

"We don't resort to violence," Lance says evenly, though he looks like he's imagining Pidge's suggestion, "even if it _really_ is the best option right now."

Keith having enough of this alien's horrible words stomps up to the counter and grabs the prince's arm.

"Look. He doesn't want the money. Don't pay him, we'll find another one that's newer and works better."

With that he gently nudges Lance towards Pidge and watches as they walk to the door before he looms over the shrew-like alien.

"She is the smartest person I know and he is _not_  what you just called him. They both have more respect than you could ever wish to have."

For good measure he slams his hands on the counter and can't help his smirk when the alien jumps back in fear. Keith turns around and silently makes it out the store and to his teammates who are waiting for him.

"We need to go now." Is all he says as he takes the bin from Pidge and starts pushing it away.

When they get far enough away for Keith's liking he stops and turns to Pidge and takes her hands to place something in them.

"Keith? Have I ever told you how awesome you are?" Pidge beams at the stolen piece sitting in her hands.

Keith shrugs and says lightly, "Shouldn't have left it out like that." 

Turning the bin around they make the trip back to the pods at a more leisurely pace.

"Hey, thanks." Keith hears Lance whisper.

Turning towards him Keith is confused for what the teen is thanking him. Lance rolls his eyes and pushes his hood aside to point at his right ear.

"They're not just for show." He grins.

Understanding what Lance was talking about Keith just shrugs, "It was nothing."

"Geez, I try to be nice and you just shake it off," Lance says dramatically before sighing and looking sincere, "But really."

"Okay." Keith says finally.

He replies like that mostly to mess with Lance since he hates singular responses, but also to let him know he gets it.

Lance seems to understand because he shakes his head good-naturedly and laughs. And that makes Keith's heart speed up because somehow Lance accidentally knocks his hood back. He had changed his marking so instead of blue sickles there were two grey vertical strips on either side of his face stretching the length of it making him look like a Larczicon. Lance's eyes were also changed to green and his hair grey, but you could still tell it was the Prince of Altea if you got a good enough look. Keith quickly pulls the hood back on and starts looking around, searching for anyone acting suspicious.

_We should've walked back faster. It's still a thirty minute walk back to the front._

"It will be fine, no one saw us. How could they with you yanking my hood back on so fast?" Lance tries to sound calm, but Keith sees him glancing around too.

"Guys come on."

They look in the direction of Pidge's call and sees that she was pretty far ahead of them. Picking up their pace they try to keep it as they head to the front. But only ten minutes from the entrance Keith notices someone in dark purple disappearing from his view every time he turns in that direction. He was going to leave to try and take care of whoever was following them, but Lance's hushed tone makes him stop first.

"I hate it when you're right."

Looking to Lance, the prince nods his head back to indicate that someone was behind him and with Lance's wide hood blocking most of Keith's face he was able to see the obviously hooded Galra.

"We need to take him out before he calls in reinforcements." Keith whispers about to walk into the closest alley so he could surprise the Galra from the side.

The prince puts a stop to that when he grabs his wrist and urges him to keep walking.

"No, what's most important is getting the parts back. We need to separate." Lance hisses.

"That's what I was going to do." Keith snaps back.

"No! You were about to go all lone wolf and leave me and Pidge so when we get back everyone is like 'Where's Keith' and you show up covered in dust and burn marks and be all like 'We have to go now'. No, we need to take care of this more delicately." 

"And what's wrong with my way?" Keith questions.

"The fact that you have to ask that is what's wrong with it." Lance deadpans.

"What?!"

"Just follow my lead," Lance waves his hand to quiet him before walking up to Pidge's side. He starts walking backwards next to the bin and smiles all carefree, like they weren't being tracked.

"Hey guys I swear I just saw a Kuerlon blaster back there and I think I'm going to go check it out since we're finished. I'll catch up to you guys at the entrance, fifteen doboshes tops." Lance says cheerfully.

"It's cool. I can wait." Pidge says as she stops pushing the cart.

"No, you should get that stuff to the pod. You don't know how long he'll be. I'll stay to make sure he leaves." Keith jumps in realizing what the prince was doing.

"You're probably right. Hopefully you won't have Shiro calling you two when you're late and going all 'space dad' on you." Pidge teases.

Keith grins despite himself because when Keith told Shiro what the others called him he was equal parts embarrassed and proud of the title.

"I'll see you then." And they wave goodbye to her and turn around to start walking toward the nearest alley.

They only get a few feet down one when they see Galra sentries walking in from their left. Before they can fire Keith has his dagger out and is slicing off one arm and taking the head off another one. He was about to go for a third, but the headless sentry is thrown into the remaining two. Keith turns around and is shocked to see Lance simply dusting himself off, standing next to three downed robots with fist imprints and blast shots.

"Let's get out of here, they're definitely going to be more soon." Lance says seriously.

Keith wants to ask about him tossing a 200 pound robot like it was a wade of paper, but getting back to the team is more important. Catching the Galra blaster that Lance tosses to him they make it to an intersection before they get cut off by laser fire. Keith leans back just in enough time and looks across to see Lance on the other side, seemingly unharmed. He peeks around the corner and sees that their enemy is a good distance away. Gesturing to Lance to go around and meet behind the sentries he gets a head nod and Keith is immediately spinning around and sprinting to the next walkway. He makes it there and all nine robots are still facing the other way and are closer to the mouth of the intersection. Taking aim, Keith shoots out a balcony above them taking out five of the robots. He quickly dispatches the other three with laser fire and the last with a dagger to the neck after it shoots the blaster out of his hand. 

Catching his breath, Keith takes time to assess the small battlefield and notices one crucial thing.

Lance wasn't here.

Cold settles into the pit of Keith's stomach as he runs back down the alley and down the way Lance went and ends up in an abbey-like area with a broken fountain spilling onto the spiderweb cracked floor. There were scorch marks that paint the still standing walls and chunks of rock cut out like claws marks surrounded by smatterings of blast holes. But what really caught the Red Paladin's attention was peeking out from underneath some of the rubble by the fountain's rim.

Lance's cloak.

Running out he frantically looks for a way to climb to the top of one of the buildings for a better view. He finds it in the way of two businesses being just close enough together for him to side jump up the walls to see the maze of walkways the market moon had. Pulling the collapsible binoculars from his side pouch he scans for anything blue.

"Come on. Come on. Come on where are you?" Keith whispers desperately as he searches the area furiously.

Instead he sees gunmetal grey and glints of white hair and gold making their way to an open area at least fifty feet in front of him. One where a Galra scout ship was clearly sitting. Jumping and rolling across the tops of building he makes it to Lance's position just as the Galra robots get to the landing. Dropping down in front of them Keith pulls out his dagger again, but before he can attack he sees purple in the nearest sentry' visor. He dodges to the left, spinning around, and sees another one of those grim reaper impersonators stands at the foot of the ship's ramp.

"You again." It hisses in an unnatural voice. 

He should have made a better plan then 'fight the reaper', but he was too high on adrenaline and the fear of what would happen if he lost Lance that he didn't think it through. He got close enough for one swipe before he was being thrown back hard into the rocky ground. As he blinks the pain away and struggles to sit up Keith sees that the Galra ship was already hovering at least ten feet above him, about to take-off. He hurriedly reaches inside his other pouch and grabs a small rounded device. Launching it with all his might it goes soaring and the strong magnetic bottom of the transmitter latches onto the bottom of the ship just as it rockets into the sky and far away from him. 

* * *

It had been at least two days since Keith lost Lance and the ship was finally operational. But it was a hollow victory as the moon that the tracker placed Lance at had already gone through five days. It was too big of a risk to fly the Castleship to the coordinates so it was planned for Pidge to go in with the Green Lion so they could stealthily land on the surface and so she could hack into the system. But she couldn't do that and save Lance so someone else would go with her.

"I will not take orders from you!" Allura shouts at Shiro, but he stands there unflinching in the face of the wrathful princess. 

"You put me in charge of this operation, which means I make the final decisions. One of which is that you are _not_ leaving the Castle." Shiro says calmly.

_If only I hadn't gotten separated from him in the fight this wouldn't have happened. I should have checked on him first._

"This will not be like last time. I will make sure of it." She steps forward trying to intimidate Shiro.

"Even if it wasn't they would expect you to try and rescue him. We can't give Zarkon what he wants. We are sending someone else." The crisp response ruffles the princess more as her ears bend down farther than Keith had ever seen.

"Princess. Shiro is right," Coran intervenes as he steps between the advancing royal and the leader of Voltron, "Without the Prince we've are already lost Voltron. If we lose you we lose the advantage —"

"We already have and if we don't get Lance back we will have a far greater problem!"

"What do you mean Allura?" Hunk asks quietly after her outburst.

Allura's face closes off with indecision as she looks out the bridge's windows.

"Now isn't the time for secrets." Shiro urges.

"He is the strongest magic user Altea had seen in centuries. He had an innate skill with it, that grew as he did. If they find a way to control or force him. He could..."

"He could be a threat to us." Shiro supplies, a grim look sliding over his face.

"Yes. But he won't do so without a fight and that's what I'm afraid of."

"We'll get him back Princess."

Eventually because of his skill and size it was decided that Keith would be Pidge's tag-a-long on the mission, much to Allura extreme displeasure. 

Keith was surprised because when he trudged back to the entrance of the market bruised and dusty like Lance said he would if he didn't make a plan, even saying the 'We've got to go' phrase, it made him feel worst than taking a purple lightening punch to the gut. Especially because it could have been avoided if he made a plan. He had lost a fifth of Voltron and he knew how important the prince was. After the Castle was almost taken from them Shiro had told him how delighted Zarkon looked when he thought he was about to get the prince and because of that Shiro said keeping Lance safe was now one of their top priorities.

But he failed.

Luckily, the tracker Pidge made was working perfectly and while she started to analyze the moon base Lance was at Keith stayed in the depths of the ship helping Hunk, and in rare cases Coran, with repairs so they could leave faster. With the Castle fixed they could easily come back and immediately wormhole somewhere else random before the Galra even knew. 

"Keith."

Hearing his name he looks up from the floor that he had apparently been staring at to see Shiro walking towards him.

"I'll just run a finally check on everything. Should take me ten minutes." Pidge say as she climbs into her Lion.

Then he understands what's about to happen.

"Shiro I'm —"

"I know you're sorry, but now isn't the time for apologies. I came to check on you and I'm glad I did. You have to stay out of your head Keith. I know you and if you overthink how we got into this situation you're going to put yourself in danger." Shiro states, his voice treading the line between a commander and a brother.

"But not thinking enough is what got him taken."

"It was a simple mistake —" He says gently.

"One that has us mounting a rescue mission!" Keith shoots back.

"— But I would have made the same call too." And anything else Keith was about to say is stuck on his tongue as he listens to what Shiro has to say.

"I know Lance can handle himself and I would have assumed he'd be fine too. But you got out maneuver. You wouldn't have been the only one at fault in your situation. But now we need to focus and you need to focus on just getting in and getting out. You can do this Keith, I know you can."

"But what if –" He starts, but is cut off by a hand on his shoulder.

"Have an idea, but know sometimes something can happen outside of your plan and then it's easier to go with your instincts. It's an ebb and flow. Remember, don't overthink." Shiro says and it does lighten his spirits a bit.

"I will. Thanks Shiro." He grins up at his best friend.

Shiro smiles back with only a twinge of sadness in his eyes, "Good. Bring him back." 

And he would. He was so sorry with how this turned out. How it affected them all. Not only could they lose Voltron, but the princess could lose a brother. And even though the two of them are only lightly dancing around each other Keith can't imagine what Shiro could be going through if he loses someone else he liked after his last lost. Shiro had definitely figured out that he liked Lance because he would gaze at him all tender when he was practically doing nothing or get these soft barely there smiles whenever the prince spoke directly to him. Keith would get Lance back no matter what, the team and his brother needed the prince back.

* * *

"I'll be opening a portal at the edge of the system because I don't know the range in which they can detect Altean energy. Contact us as soon as you have Lance because at that point it won't matter. Good luck Paladins."

Keith tries not to feel hurt by the fact that Allura never once looks at him as she relays their plan. Focusing on the mission he watches as they come out in the asteroid field they were told about and circle around until they get into near alignment with the fourth planet. They stealthily land on the dense jungle moon of plateaus and waterfalls. The atmosphere is mostly CO2 and makes the sky look like a hazy yellow. Keith takes the extra helmet they brought with them and immediately takes off in a jog to the complex on the plateau below them. Bypassing security and getting into the building takes twenty minutes before Keith is walking in the side door and climbing through the vents. He leaves the helmet behind at the mouth of the vent system so he could easily grab it for the escape. 

Keith is crawling through based on Pidge's instructions until he can hear muddled voices. The voices sounding like the reapers from earlier. Telling Pidge he can find Lance on his own, she backs him up by saying she'll double check that he can walk out of this compound without anyone the wiser. As he gets closer a deep voice reverberates through the vents and has him moving faster than he had ever in his life. Getting to the source of the noise he lets out a sigh of relief when the voice is from over a screen and not in the room.

"And how did he respond?" Zarkon's gravely tone engulfs the muted room.

"He did give some resistance, but eventually we were able to carry out our tests unheeded." The reaper to the left of the screen says lowly.

Keith looks over to Lance, but can't see how he's really doing due to the lighting, or lack there of. He can only see him strapped to an elevated table, changed into a similar black jumpsuit that they found Shiro in, and deathly still.

_Worst thought for right now._

"He is not injured is he?"

"No my Emperor."

"And what of the results?"

The reaper to the right touches a screen and vitals run across it as well as notes on the subject.

"We have compared the notes of the late Empress and found them to be correct and exceeding the previous power levels as the Prince was in cryo-sleep allowing the power to be stored almost exponential. Haggar could preform the ritual you wish and call all the Voltron Lions to you."

_What?! How would that even be possible?_

"Excellent. Depart posthaste. It is unsettling that the Paladins haven't found you yet. I want him here to attempt this spell immediately. Do not fail me."

"Of course." They reply in unison before sliding out the doors.

As soon as they leave Keith is turning around and about to kick off the panel before remembering himself and turns back around to slice through the grate.

"Pidge are we good?"

"Perfect. All security is playing on loop on their end and I still have live feed. Go save you a prince fearless knight, I'll lead you out."

Rolling his eyes at the joke he puts the grate to the side he jumps out and cuts through Lance's restrains. Sitting him up is what get Lance to stir and he looks over with extremely dilated eyes as he tries squinting at him.

"Keefth? You're saving me? So valiant." Lance croaks, slurring his words as he tries to look around.

"It's not like I'm trying to be a knight in shining armor. You just needed to be saved. You didn't make it to the rendezvous point." He answers as he slides the prince's feet onto the ground. 

"Hard time. There, there was," And Keith has to duck out of the way of Lance waving his hands in the air before settling on, "... a magical roadblock."

"Thought you were a Prince that could take care of yourself." 

"Well you definitely... the short temper of a knight... and height. And there were two." Holding up three fingers contradicting his account of how many reapers there were.

"Why didn't I just leave you?" Keith mutters sarcastically, a smile touching his lips at the banter they shared. Actually missing the snippy comments to his dry remarks.

"I'm the best." Lance whines petulantly as he leans into Keith's shoulder.

Keith just rolls his eyes as a small smile works it's way onto his lips and starts walking them to the door, "Come on."

"No! No no no." Lance whines again, even trying to wiggle out of Keith's hold on his arm.

"What?" Looking around the empty room.

"Bracelets... there mother's." Pointing dazedly in the direction of a long cabinet against the wall. Sitting him down against the wall Keith busts open the first two drawers and finds the Prince clothes and jewelry in it. Grabbing the circlet, green communicator earrings, and the bracelets he quickly places the crown on Lance's head, pockets the earrings, and places the keepsakes on Lance's wrists and get them out the door.

"Pidge?"

"You're good. Turn left and go down two intersections than make a right."

As Keith makes his way to their exit his mind seems to remind him he's with Lance, and that Lance wasn't talking, which wasn't normal. And now the prince was leaning more and more into his neck and breathing shallowly. 

"Lance," Keith whispers, "Lance come on talk to me." Shaking his shoulders jostling the prince into alertness.

"You hate that." Lance whines into Keith's neck before dropping his full weight and almost capsizing them both. 

"Not now. Talk."

He makes it around a corner and out of the way of two sentries before trying to wake Lance again.

"Lance!" He hisses.

"Well what?"

It takes Keith a second to understand he was asking him about what topic he want to talk about.

"I don't know maybe – maybe why you act like the biggest guy in the room?" 

"We have to get ...get philly — philosophical here?"

"It means you'll have more to say." Keith stresses as they go around another corner.

"Lance!" He tries again.

"I'm not Allura." He whispers angrily.

"I mean you don't have the body for it so I don't think so." Keith says lightly.

"Ha, you can be funny – Ow! – at the worst time." And he can see the pained grin on Lance's face as he chuckles.

"What does that mean? That you're not Allura?" 

The sigh was so despondent that Keith looks over kind of worried of what Lance would say.

"I'm a back-up... all royal couples have them. I would always hear 'why aren't you like Allura'. 'Be her', they say...staff said. It's not her fault... she awesome... I was... an- anomaly. They didn't like it. So I didn't act... went the opposite. It got me engaged... They they thought it would make me softer. It wouldn't... I don't want to change. That's why I like you all... you talk to me normally and don't compare us. But I'm afraid you will ...eventually... so I try to be bigger than life... Entertaining. I'm scared of losing you as friends." The last part was said so quietly that if Lance wasn't in his space right now he won't have heard it.

Keith may not know what it feels like to be compare to someone else, but he did know the fear of being alone and it sat in one's guts like a stone and stung like a scorpion's bite.

"You shouldn't. You're stuck with us. Besides, you're good on your own and you're smart and you relate to everyone so you shouldn't worry." Keith tries to make him feel better, especially after bring up this topic. He didn't think it would be this bad, he honestly thought it would be something shallow.

"Don't forget magical." Lance tacks on sounding resentful.

"You are definitely that." 

"It was because of ... because of an accident. My father accidentally....."

"Did what?" Keith asks trying to keep Lance talking.

"He got too close to the light...to the bend....made me, me."

Keith was sure this would make sense in a different setting and with more words, but right know he stores that information away for later and makes his final turn.

"Lance keep it together we're almost there." Keith whispers as he walks them as fast as he can to the doors he came through.

* * *

_God! Lance is such an idiot!_

It had been three days since their successful mission to rescue Lance which thankfully, he wasn't too badly hurt like the reapers said. Which is why when Lance begged off going into a pod he let him stay in the small quarters room in the Green Lion while Pidge flew them back. The bruising from the tests and the shackles along with irritated skin from where the obvious blood samples were taken were the only things wrong with Lance. But he still refused to step into a pod for them even when they got back. Actually telling the team he didn't want to bother anyone before walking away. With a whole ship at their disposable it really wouldn't be a problem. Lance wouldn't even let anyone into his room except Allura and he would only talk to Shiro for a bit through his closed doors.

Two hours ago Allura went to go take Lance some soup and found him missing. She looked everywhere, slowly gathering all of them into looking for her missing brother. Keith finds him in an unused lounge room with the pink and blue mice on his lap as he absentmindedly pets them while staring out at the stars. Keith could just make him out in the dull light and it looked like he hadn't slept in three days with the deep bags under his eyes and a uncomfortable look on his face, only for him to look more defeated when he catches him watching.

"Keith did you find him yet?" Shiro's voice comes through clearly over his communicator.

But looking over at Lance, hunched over in his robe and night clothes Keith can tell that if he rats Lance out he's going to be on the otherside of some serious scolding and while he'll deserve it the prince doesn't look like he'd be able to handle it well.

"No. I'm going to finish this hallway and go down a level."

Keith lies and puts the comm away as he walks up to Lance, but still leaves about five feet in between them and surprisingly, Lance looks pissed rather then relived.

"You know it's great you didn't tell them where I am, but do not expect me to thank you. A lecture from you is like the second worst person to hear this from."

"You should be resting." Keith says flatly.

The prince's frown rapidly changes into a snarl as his ears press close to his head and he stands up to use his two inches of height to try and intimidate him. 

"I'm fine." He grounds out and Keith just folds his arms.

"Yeah I'm sure anyone would be fine after begin experimented on to figure out if the Empress's notes were still the same and finding out you are more powerful than before because magic been stored for so long." Keith replies blandly.

Lance glare is murderous for only second before he deflates completely, "How much did you hear?"

"Enough."

They stares at each other, one scrutinizes the other like an angry cat, while the other looks on indifferently.

"I told you something too didn't I? I can see it in the way you look at me."

Keith gives him a simple nod.

"What?" Lance voice tight with anger and nervousness.

"If you come with me I'll tell you and I won't tell your sister." Keith offers instead.

The rough cut-off guffaw has Keith raising an eyebrow, but still looking on unamused.

"Blackmail." Lance's disbelief was on his face and colored his tone angrily.

Holding out the communicator Lance clenches his hands and closes his eyes tightly. He stands there almost trembling, his right hand pressing into his left wrist before  expelling a heavily annoyed breath.

"Fine." Turning around he picks up the two mice that hoped off his lap and walks them over to a vent were they scurry off immediately before he's whipping his robe around him and stomping off.

They make it to the nearest elevator before Lance starts talking to him again.

"So what did I say?"

"I had to keep you talking so I asked why you were so concern about us liking you." Keith says bluntly, there was no need to beat around the bush.

"You used my half-drugged injure self to get answers?" He ask incredulously standing up straight from leaning against the elevator door. 

"I needed you to stay awake." 

In that moment Keith does feel bad about asking the question because even though it was there for only a few seconds the look of unconcealed hurt and betrayal stuns Keith speechless. Thankfully, Lance turns away, face becoming impassive as the elevator stops freeing Keith from the stifling pressure of having to answer the prince. 

Clicking his teeth at him Lance storms out, "Whatever."

But in an open space Keith is still too curious about the lucid discussion they had.

"You said your magic was an accident, that it was because of you're Father. He didn't —"

"No!" Lance snaps as he spins around, "He didn't hurt me he – he was being a good friend and was at the wrong place at the right time. Or at the right place at the right time. Either way the Empress and... Zarkon posit it was his exposure to the rift in dimensions." He says turning away and digging his fingers into his right wrist.

_A rift? I definitely need to tell Shiro about this._

"You called it a bend." 

Lance's lips twitch at that, "That sounds like the eloquent me."

They walk the rest of the way in silence and knowing that Lance would not answer any other questions he kept quite. When they finally get to the prince's room Keith continues in without an invite shocking Lance completely.

"Uhh we're here so you can go and brood in some corner or somewhere else away from here." Lance lazily waves his hand to the door.

"I'm not leaving."

"What?"

Keith ignores the glaring eyes and walks over to the couch and looks over calmly saying, "I'm not leaving until you're asleep."

Lance's eyes narrow and he frowns so hard that his lips become a straight line, "That's extremely creepy."

"Well as soon as I leave you'll just disappear and then we'll have to look for you again."

"Then don't. I'm fine." And Keith watches as his fingers go for his wrist again and he has enough.

"Really? You're fine?" He asks ironically as he stands up and rushes Lance.

He tries to throws his hands up to attack, but Keith is too quick and Lance being too tired can't react as Keith snatches his right hand and turns the inside of his hand towards him showing him the dark purple and black burisies and the pinpricks from the needles.

"Does this looks fine? You're making it worst!"

"Let go of me Keith." He whispered harshly, looking at him fearfully.

"You need to stop acting out and go to sleep."

"This doesn't involve you."

"I think your health involves the whole team. Go to sleep!"

"I can't!" Lance screams.

Stunned by echo and the answer Keith doesn't hold onto Lance's hand when he wiggles out of the hold.

"I can't sleep okay. So I can't feel or look better okay, just leave me alone!" Lance says quietly as he turns his back on him and walks over to sit at the head of his bed.

"What do you see?"

Keith asks into the silence knowing what he meant. But Lance just shakes his head 'no'. Exhaling a deep sigh Keith walks over and stands at the end of bed before trying again.

"...Tell me. I ...I want to help."

Lance turns to look at him suspiciously then looks down to a small stuffed bird and starts to squeeze and mess with it.

"I see... myself mostly — in an out of body experience. I see them cutting into me instead of just gathering blood. How they would place me in a healing pod to fix anything that happen, but it only makes my injuries worst. I — I look away and then I'm one of them. Killing. Destroying. Helping _him_. They told me I would be one of his greatest weapons, that I would help lay waste and then – and then you're all dead because – because of me. I ...I'm trying to be strong like Allura and not let it affect me, but —"

"You're not her."

Lance pauses and drops the small bird before turning on his bed to look at him both hurt and a little hopefully in what he says next.

"You're fine the way you are. You aren't an anomaly. And we aren't expecting you to be the same. Plus, you understand us a little more so..." Keith finds he can't look at him when he says the next part and looks past his shoulder, "You're not a bad guy and you should know everyone likes you and wants to help you."

"And you?" Lance asks timidly.

"You're tolerable, so I don't mind." He answers with a small grin.

Lance lips to twitch into a simple smile for a bit.

"If you're afraid to get in the pod or something you should just say so. I mean we'll be there when you go in and get out. And I'm always telling Shiro to talk out his feelings. You're better at it and well your sister will listen and if not..... you can talk to me."

When he turns back to Lance the look of skepticism he gives him is almost laughable, "You want to willingly spend time with me." 

"Not a lot," Keith says immediately, but sighs and continues, "Just if you really, really need someone to talk to or you know spar with like usual."

Lance stares impassively at him only for one of his real smiles, the one that touches his eyes, to show up on his face.

".... Thanks. Mophead." He says  eventually, an undercurrent of humor barely there.

Keith just scoffs good-naturedly and rolls his eyes, "Whatever spoil brat."

Pretty sure he won't pull the same stunt again Keith leaves only for Lance clearing his throat and making him stop. Looking back at the prince he sees him playing with the stuffed bird again,

"Hey, could you...?" And Lance waves his hand at the couch across the room, but never looks up.

Keith presses the light switch off and uses the very faint light given off by the drapes on the ceiling to find his way over to the couch. He waits and only ten minutes later he can hear Lance's breathing slow and he knows he's asleep. But instead of leaving automatically he contacts Shiro, telling him quietly that he had found Lance and he'll be back to the lounge in a bit. Keith just wanted to make sure Lance stayed asleep and ten more minutes wouldn't hurt anyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I assuming that the empire started to put out wanted posters to their command ships and stations when Voltron got away. Plus, I'm sure that they had cameras with awesome face recognition as well. That and I'm playing with the royalty in distress for obvious reasons and a funnier one later.


	12. Keith vs Lance: Fight #35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New friendships and new secrets abound in the Castle of Lions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit to Jessadilla for her drawing of yoga!Lance because boy is flexible. He does the back bend and then the one Keith finds him in is to the left of the back bend called an one legged wheel pose.

Labored uneven breathes fill the training deck with only hints of barely contained frustrated groans trailing after them. 

 

_Bend back and hold._

Lance takes a deep breath in and holds it before letting it out again. He tries to calm his thoughts, but nothing really seems to work. How could it when Zarkon was chasing them like a cat chases a mouse across the reaches of space? How could he focus when his random migraines could make him a liability? He had to be calm. He had to be centered.

Going for a more complicated move that would require more of his attention Lance slowly raises one leg and then the other balancing on his forearms. He gradually lowers his left leg down in front of his face, but holds it just a few h'qell off the ground to create some sort of odd closed [circuit](http://jessadilla.tumblr.com/post/152119603398/did-someone-say-yoga-Stephanie%20Vanderkellen-i-did-it-was-me), while his right leg is extended up pointed towards the ceiling. He breathes in slower and holds it, counting to ten before letting it go and doing so three more times. Lance just finishes with his right leg closing the circuit when he hears a soft 'wow'. Gracefully untangling himself from his complex move he turns another to see Keith standing there looking somewhat astonished.

"Oh. Hey." He says lowly, too relaxed in his state of mind to color his voice with any emotions.

"Hey," Keith says back equally drained, "That was... impressive."

"...Thanks." Lance replies gathering enough energy to sound sincere.

In the past few quintants some of the regular animosity — that Lance knows he fueled — had gone down considerably since asking Keith to stay in his room while he slept. He actually slept for ten vargas straight with only the lingering knowledge that he may have started to have a nightmare only for it to change into nothing. After that and his slow introduction back into their team Keith kind of made it his job to look over him before they did anything. Keith helped him into the pod when he finally decided to step into one and was there with everyone else when he was out a few vargas later. Having him follow through on his word made Lance see him in a new light, a kinder one. In return Lance tried to be civil with only a bit of teasing, because he was a younger brother and he needed to mess with someone sometimes, and Keith was the prefect candidate. Plus, the jokes weren't as rude as before so Keith took to them easier and even fired back in good humor with his own.

This had lead to some bonding moments, like Keith 'checking in' on him later in the day after he got out of the cryopod. He brought him some food from Hunk, which lead to a three movie long marathon in which Lance now knew Keith like romcoms. He had admitted quietly toward the end of the last movie that he liked how everyone got a happy ending. Orwhen Keith looked both annoyed and entranced with the forests of Olkarion before Lance remembered Shiro telling him that most of the team was from the desert part of their country. Keith's look of perplexed joy made Lance giggle as he let Keith climb up one of the massive trees they were going pass. Of course he caught him when he fell down, but the very serious and determined way Keith had said 'I have to try again' almost made Lance laugh away their location. 

But now they were too tried to try to do anything and could only look at each other for an uncomfortable amount of time before Lance is sighing deeply.

"So you're here because?" He ventures.

"I was just going to use the deck –"

"To break all our Gladiator. You know they don't grow on trees." Lance says languidly, stretching back to create a lovely cracking noise that loosens all the tension in his lower back.

"I don't break them that bad and I was just going to work on some hand-to-hand combat." Keith answers quickly, and a bit petulantly, he might add.

Still in his stretching pose Lance turns his head back to look the human in the eyes and only partially believes his claim.

"Right," He smiles as he draws out the word unnecessarily long before stretching his arms over his head, "Okay lets do this."

With the center of the deck already a soft firm floor for his Kriyī, Lance lowers himself, centers his gravity, and holds a starting position to fight.

"I didn't come here to fight you." But he can see the Red Paladin already looking for weak points to strike with his lazy gaze over his body.

"Well we do have a running trend of you showing up here when I'm here and I intend to pull ahead this time." Lance says coolly.

The smirk and the soft 'As if' has the prince rolling forward and swiping Keith's legs out from under himself. Standing up, he proudly sashaying to where he was before he waits. And Lance is not disappointed, hearing a growl behind him. Turning around he blocks a right hook and throws his own. Still loose and relaxed from before Lance seems to have the extra head space to watch Keith fight.

He can see both the brashness in Keith's energy, but the control in his moves. An interesting contradiction for sure. His punches would be very calculated, but the full energy he placed in them could easily be used against him. Keith was probably used to his opponents not knowing how to fight or his agility ending a fight before it really began. And taking that into account Keith probably didn't know the extra effort he was putting in was actually wearing him down faster. Hopefully he never runs into a Galra commander because they were the best endurance fighters to ever be seen in the universe. Easily backflipping out of the way Lance pulls himself back up into a fighting stance as Keith stands across from him huffing and catching his breath as he glares daggers at him. With a coy smile on his face Lance curls his fingers in a come hither motion.

"That wasn't your best. Let's try it again." He says in a calm tone.

 

"Let's try it again." Lance mocks him with his soft tone.

_No. He's just being him. Sometimes he sounds like that._

Keith tells himself as the raging emotions of competitiveness rise up in him. Clenching his fists and stepping back into another fighting pose Keith readies himself to spar with Lance because yes, he is utterly exhausted and doesn't have time for this, but he would be damned if he didn't finish this fight as his entire being yelled at him too.

He acts fast because he used to everyone else he fights with being too slow. But Lance once against blocks his hit when he goes in again, with a left punch this time. Keith tries to watch the prince's movements to know what he'll do next, but he's never fought someone that moves basically like water. Keith tries to lash out in a kick, but Lance easily block or completely sways out of the way. 

_Okay now I'm angry!_

Keith mentally screams as the prince only dodges, but never attacks leaving him without many other tactics. At this moment he should have thought of another way to get Lance to trip up. But so angry and unable to do anything else he changes tactics and just tries to make a grab for the prince's arms to throw him over his shoulder. But Lance figures it out as he places his hands behind his back and still manages to dodge him. Completely fed up, Keith can only think about stopping this one-sided battle, this teasing charade. Falling into that anger he lunges for Lance who just seems to be a second faster at jumping back. At that moment Keith wishes he was a little taller just so he could stop him from moving. 

 

It was almost too easy, but then...

Then that stabbing excruciating pain was there again, spreading through his head at a mind melting speed and shaking him to his core. Every joint in his body, every muscle, every limb felt like it was not only under the pressure of a gas giant, but also the sensations of a million hot needles were slowly being driven into his body. But as quickly as it came it slowly peters out and the only remnants that it was ever there were the tears in his eyes and his senses only picking up fragments of his surroundings in his delirious state. 

_He was looking down... because he was kneeling...and and something else happened._

"Are you okay?"

Turning to his left he looks up to see Keith kneeling over him making aborted motions towards him. They stare at each other before Keith grabs his arm and helps Lance to his feet. He was going to brush it off, not wanting to look vulnerable in front of the Keith again, but,

"What happened to your face?"

"You did." Comes the bored response.

Across his right cheek was an angry red line that looks like Keith was just hit with wide pole or something. The other side of his face looked red as well, but like he had rubbed his face really hard.

"Usually that's said in a much more flattering tone." Lance replies with a joke, his first reaction to being the cause of pain.

But looking at the marks he tries to think back and it takes a few ticks, but then he's remembering the pain that burned and crashed through him, how he can still feel the warmth of his powers hum under his skin at being recently used. The warmth isn't comfortable, it's prickly and turbulent like it was rolling around in him. Like he discharged some of his powers.

_Which is probably what I did. There's no way I could get in such a good hit like that._

"I – I did that I – I don't know what...I guess the stress was a lot more than I thought." 

 _My powers are_ _getting worst. I need to do something else soon._

"It's fine." Keith says with a shrug, followed directly after with a wince.

Lance doesn't believe that for a tick, "It hurts."

"It's fine."

"...Do you want the point?" Lance ventures as he does feel bad for hitting him with his excess power.

"I said it's fine." Keith repeats through gritted teeth before turning to walk away.

He gets halfway across the deck before Lance calls out for him.

"There's – there's a pool here," Keith stops to look back with a quirked eyebrow, "If you want to use it. It would be a lot more relaxing then fighting and getting your butt handed to you."

"Only you could turn an invitation into an insult." Keith's answers lightly.

"Well?" And Lance hopes he takes his version of an apology because if Keith keeps frowning like that he's going to have his own headache.

Keith squints at him before rolling his eyes in the way Lance has come to realize was Keith's way of saying that he can't believe he was in this situation and says,

"Fine. Let me get my stuff and you can show me the pool."

"Cool, meet at elevator fourteen."

 

Keith was not expecting to be hit and he was not expecting to be thrown across the matted surface of the deck when he went down for some R&R in the way of punching robots.

He had been close to tackling the other teen, but at the last second he saw the pain in the prince's wide eyes before his whole body seized and glowed a bright blue. He tried to block out the light, but was thrown back when the light lashed out at him. Keith had looks up some time after the attack, because while it was benign the floor was not. He sees the walls absorb the blast and turns to the prince. Lance was collapsed on the ground as he continued to writhe in pain clutching his head with his mouth open in a soundless scream. Keith was stunned before running to him in concern, but was unsure of what to do as he stops himself from touching the prince. Eventually it stopped, probably lasting a minute or two longer, before Lance was breathing harshly and crawling back into a kneeling position. Keith had seen the last time Lance had headache, everyone saw, it was only a few vargas earlier when they were saying goodbye to the Olkari, but it only seemed to make Lance dizzy – nothing like this. He shook it off and said he would go rest when they got back, but a lot had happened since then and now Keith found him down here doing yoga to relax. Clearly this was something else and something much worst.

As Keith walks into his room and pulls off his shirt he thinks of what the cause could be.

_Was it because of what the druids did?_

But it had been two weeks afterwards and Lance had gotten into the pod since then.

_But it wouldn't detect magic. Would it?_

It was so hard to tell with the Altean's ship since it was a mix of both science and mystical abilities.

_He could know, but is keeping it a secret?_

That was another idea as they had only started to be friendly. Keith didn't feel attacked by just being in Lance's space anymore and he had actually started to see some better characteristics he didn't notice before either. Yet Keith is sure he would have heard something from Shiro along the lines of keeping an extra eye on Lance if that was the case with how close they were getting now. But beside Shiro's stuttering confession of liking Lance he hadn't said anything else about the prince, except how he was deciding what to do while also relaying everything he found amazing about Lance much to Keith's dismay.

Now thinking about that and everything else was definitely giving him a headache. Grabbing his towel Keith makes the executive decision to go to the pool with Lance, do some laps, make sure Lance doesn't have another episode and drowns, get out, and go to sleep. And the next day, or however the ship denotes time and turns the lights back on, he'll ask or make Lance tell him what is going on.

 

Keith: 16

Lance: 14

Tie: 4

Match has ended in favor of Lance

Keith: 16

Lance: 15

Tie: 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had planned to do the Oklarion episode, but thought against it for another fight and more Lance and Keith bonding.
> 
> Basically the only thing I could have added was Keith, our angry desert cat, being so fascinated by the forest that he attempts to climb a tree (I speak from experience. When I went to New Zealand and there were so many mountains I tried to climb them all) Lance just lets him because he's curious to see what will happen. So while Pidge is plotting death to nature and Hunk tries to talk her out of it Shiro is being a true space dad by yelling up to Keith to 'come down' and to 'not make him come up there'. Lance is making small platforms to step up so he's in pace with Keith and actually catches him when he does fall, but he makes it up to at least 30 ft before that.


	13. It feels like somebody's watching me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patience is pushed to the limit after being chase by Zarkon for two days. Allura and Keith come up with wild reasons for why they're the cause, but Lance thinks they aren't entirely wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm using kiu1023's Altean!Lance as the basis for his royal clothes (b/c it has bracelets!) with the only changes being that he has a crown just like Allura, but instead of a triangle it's a diamond. The communicator earrings are green octahedron earrings with the left one having a gold cuff chain on the tip of his ear. And the cape being white on the inside instead of pink.
> 
> I don't know if I've ever specified the 'genders' of the Lions but I have them as this:  
> Black = they  
> Red = he  
> Green = her  
> Blue = her  
> Yellow = her

"There's no point in debating this further. Zarkon is clearly tracking us through me." Allura announces resignly trying to put a stop to the half varga discussion.

"How are you reaching that conclusion?" Lance can't help but wonder why she would make herself such a martyr in such a serious situation.

"That's not possible." Pidge says for what has to be the sixth time since this started and Lance can help wave his hand at her again.

"Why are you not listening to the smartest person in the room. She's never wrong." He says as he looks down at his defiant sister.

"Why would that be so hard to believe? Zarkon's forces showed up on Arus only after I awoke." Allura states, putting forth some flimsy evidence. 

"And it couldn't have been me waking up? I mean the Galra did show up on Earth when I woke up and my powers are greater than yours." Lance protests, refusing for her to take all the blame.

"Wouldn't it have been because they were coming to get Shiro back and because they knew the Blue Lion was there like Ulaz told us." Hunk throws in and Lance mechanically turns his head to the right to glare at him.

"Not helping Hunk." Lance hisses through a gritted smile.

"It's not you, Princess Allura. It's me."

That stops everything as everyone turns to look at the mophead leaning and brooding against his chair. 

"Because?" Hunk finally asks after a few ticks of confused silence.

"I just think - Zarkon must've imprinted on me during our fight or something." Keith says in a forced breath and not looking at any of them.

_Only Galra cubs do that._

With no one having an answer to that remark Lance looks around to someone to denied it too.

"What about neither of you are right because both ideas are ludicrous!?" Lance shouts fed up with these ridiculous ideas, because if either one was true then they would lose apart of the team. Part of his new family.

"It is worth think–" Allura tries, but he won't let her finish.

"No it's not Allura! Because you'll test it because you think it's the best and end up somehow getting yourself hurt! Without you we're stuck. I can't be in two places at once if we need a quick getaway." He attempts to appeal to her with logic, but she is not deterred.

"You can teleport." Allura replies flatly.

"You can teleport?" Hunk asks sounding hurt that he didn't know this.

"I'll show you later — but I can't do that if I'm not within range and it takes up a lot of my energy," He answers both Hunk and Allura quickly, "And Keith – we need you here." 

At his admission Keith looks to him extremely baffled before turning his head away and folding his arm tighter around himself.

"Look, I don't think Lance's basis is sound, but he's right. We don't know how Zarkon is tracking us and you debating and trying to prove it won't help. It could be through the Black Lion. Every time Zarkon gets close to it, Shiro has to fight him for contr– " Pidge attempts to be the voice of reason, but what she says in the middle is what really catches his attention.

"Hold up Pidge," He cuts her off as he looks to her, "What did you just say?"

"Shiro fights for control of the Black –"

Waving his hands 'no', "Before that." He ask insistently as his mind goes a hundred lightyears a dobosh.

Pidge looks perturbed at being interrupted again, but does what he asks, "I said Zarkon could also be tracking us through the Black Lion."

_Through the Black Lion. Discharge of power like I'm fighting something. **'You have not learned your own potential.'**_

All of it made horrible frightening sense, "No. No. No-no-no!"

Lance finds himself mumbling as he realizes the implications of what is truly happening. He barely hears Pidge saying 'It was just a theory' before he pushing Hunk aside and grabbing Shiro's arm and teleporting them to Black's command pod. They immediately lighten their compartment at the presence of their pilot and their charge.

 

Shiro wasn't expecting to be whisked away when Lance grabbed his arm. Maybe to be shaken as whatever Lance just realized shook him to his very core. But getting a front row seat to Lance's powers and instantly appearing in his Lion wasn't one of them. 

Shiro snatches his wrist away and takes a step back, but Lance doesn't seem to notice, "Lance what are you -" 

"Its me! I'm the one that could be tracked or is tracking." He says in a manic rush, talking over Shiro as he grips his shoulders.

Shiro's feels the disappointment and confusion that was swirling in him like the metallic storm they just came from mellow into woeful concern at Lance's fearful gaze. Shiro reaches out gently, like he was trying not to scare a small animal, and slowly slides his hands under the white cape resting them on Lance's [uncovered](http://kiu1023.tumblr.com/post/174080023658/take-my-power-and-go-find-him) shoulders. 

"Lance. No –"

"I need you to feel your bond okay?" 

Shiro was going to tell him 'no'. To get some rest that they all desperately need. But the way he looked up at him, pleading with him to listen, made Shiro cave instantly.

"Alright." 

Sitting down in his chair he let it slide up into position and reaches for his flight sticks. Closing his eyes he searches for that thread of thought that seems to be with him constantly, trying to sooth his tempestuous mind with a coolness he had never known. When he finds it he can tell that it worked as the lights behind his eyes become brighter. Shiro feels the mutual stress on his Lion's consciousness at having to decide which Paladin they are to stay with, though knowing it can't be Zarkon, but Shiro hadn't shown all of himself completely either. Shiro wants to push at that, but is almost scared out of the connection when a softer warmer mentality slides and rolls in – like the ocean's surf – coming to rest in tandem with his. But the Black Lion tells him that it was only Lance's presence attempting his theory. Calming down, they sit there in tranquil silence and Shiro feels like he's almost floating, varying between the buoyancy of being in a body of water to the weightlessness of zero gravity. During another transition everything comes to a shrieking halt with a sound mimicking a thunderclap and the burning pain of fire touching his mind. Shiro shoots out of his seat as Black retreats cautiously back into his mind and he hears a solid thud from behind.

As Shiro tries to slow his rapidly beating heart he hears a groan behind him and remembers he's not alone.

"Lance!" Shiro is around the chair and cradling the dazed prince to him in an instant.

"Doesn't even get – protection – hits back _hard_." Lance mumbles incoherently into his chest before seizing up and gripping Shiro's vest as he goes through it, prompting Shiro to tightly hold him through it.

Once the shaking goes down Lance sages more into him and nuzzles up against his right arm.

"Lance?" He whispers, careful to be too loud or to jostle Lance. 

Lance giggles, just a tad hysterical, as he slowly opens his eyes to look up at Shiro, "Ha – Ow. I was right." 

Sliding his left arm underneath Lance's legs Shiro picks him up and gently places him in the chair.

Kneeling next to the chair Shiro watches intently as Lance tries to calm his breathing. Letting his left hand crosses the short distance, Shiro rests it comfortably on Lance's thigh and gives it a reassuring squeeze, "Lance what were you right about?" Still making sure to keep his voice low.

Lance places his right hand over his and sighs deeply with only a few more giggles escaping him, "After we saved Allura there were times I felt something, something eerie. Watching or at least glancing in my direction, but I assumed it was the constant fighting we go into and the fact that we were on the run. I mean it's been five – no – six pheobs since, since this all started again. But now when I think about it, compared with everything else and the 'fight' I had with the Witch it only makes since that when I get hit with one of those headaches it's them searching for Black ....maybe, maybe using Zarkon as a focusing point and looking for it."

"And whenever they do you get caught in the crossfire. But I don't understand, how you could? Are you that powerful?" Considering they didn't know much about Altean culture or biology they couldn't be sure what scale the 'strongest magic user Altea had seen in centuries' was on, but if he could intercept a malicious presence from an unknown distance it must be something Shiro can't even fathom.

"Well," And the way Lance stretches that word out Shiro knows this is something big, "I kind of, sort of, possibly have a connection to... all the Lions," Lance stalls for a bit before mumbling the last part.

But Shiro's close enough to hear and he's  sure he looks like a bug-eye dragonfly as his eyes widen in shock.

"...What?"

"Yeah," Using his left hand to scratch at his neck the prince looks down at him quite cowed, "I tested it as a child because I heard Blue and Green talking to me when I said I wish I could have gone on one of the missions. And the next time all the Paladins met on Altea I tried it out and it worked. So I have a connection to all of them and in theory – a very shaky theory – I could call them, any of them, to me. But my strongest connection was and always will be with Blue."

"That's, that's a lot to take in." Shiro finally settles on before a thought strikes him.

"But Lance," And Shiro doesn't want to bring this up as Lance had only started talking about it sparingly, but now wasn't the time for sugarcoating, "If that's the case how come Blue didn't follow you to your location when you were taken." He looks up quizzically. 

Lance stills looks in his direction, but looks pass him as he answers, "When I was fighting the druids I could tell I wasn't going to get out so I kind of shut off communication with Blue and told her not to come. She knew where I was, but she couldn't tell if I needed help or if I was hurt. I didn't want her tracking me and possibly getting caught too."

Shiro gives his leg another squeeze and Lance holds his hand tighter, "You made the right decision and thank you for telling me. Really." The prince gives a short nod before looking back at him, "And now we have the advantage because we can be prepare, our own alarm compare to Zarkon's."

The prince's lips curl into an honest smile before his eyes shine with mischief as he ask, "Do I get my siren now? For professional means of course."

Shiro knows Lance is not making light of the problem, that he needs the levity to handle the situation so Shiro follows along.

With a short laugh he answers, "Not a chance your highness."

"I'll get you to give it to me some way." Lance grins as he bends more into Shiro's space.

"I'm sure you will," Shiro grins back and lets the moment be for a few second before standing up and holding out his hand to help the prince up, "But now we need to go tell the others what we found out."

Lancing their fingers together, Shiro revels in the softness and warmth of Lance's touch as he smirks at him, "Already on it."

Snapping his fingers for dramatic effect Lance brings them back to the bridge which seems void of everyone except Coran and Pidge.

"Where is everyone?" Lance ask as he steps away and Shiro lets their moment end with letting his hand go and assuming his mindset of commander again.

"Running downstairs for you Prince," Coran says, voice full of worry as he meet Lance in front of the dais,"You left us all in quite to state. Are you alright?" Coran asks as he quickly starts walking around and poking at Lance making him giggle.

"I'm sorry Coran, I didn't mean to scare you. I promise I'm fine," Lance laughs as he tries to stop him, "But I'm pretty sure we might have figured out what is going on I need you to get everyone up here for me."

"Told them to just stay, but they freaked out," Shiro looks over at Pidge as she looks down at her screen, "Allura was like 'they've must have gone to the bay' and then Hunk screamed after her 'To the Lion's den' and then they all ran out like Scooby-Doo."

Just thinking about his team like that has Shiro shaking his head at their ridiculousness and takes a deep breathe to stop himself from cracking a smile. After Coran calls everyone back up to the bridge Shiro has them gathers in front of the dais.

"I know everyone is worried about us being tracked and with good reason. But Lance and I think we've figured it out and have a way of handling the surprise attack. Lance?"

All heads turn back to Lance's chair as he types on his screen, "So what's happening – or at least I'm 90% sure of what's happening – is that Pidge was right and that Zarkon is tracking us through the Black Lion."

"Is that even possible? No Paladin has ever been able to connect with a lion over a vast distance." Coran speaks up clearly troubled.

"That's what I thought too, but when we took on Central Command and something tried to rip us apart I know I heard Zarkon's voice, but there was another presence. It felt ill and pressed back against my magic only allowing me to hold Voltron together for a bit longer, but then a voice literally cackled at me and push back. After what Pidge said I assumed it was the Witch that was using magic to focus Zarkon's bond and I tried to follow her presence – which was left on Black's consciousness – and I found a barrier that wouldn't let me even get closer to her."

Lance rubs the back of his head at that and Shiro is filled with guilt for not checking the back of Lance's head after his fall, "But the power was the same. I know it. And so does my magic."

"What do you mean your magic?" Hunk asks.

"When you get sick your body develops antibodies to stop you from get that strain again. I think Lance is saying that his magic is trying to fight back against the sick magic." Pidge tries, but waits for Lance's response.

"This is why we don't go anywhere without you Pidge."

"I know. You would be lost without me." She grins smugly as she leans back in her chair.

"The training deck." Keith speaks up sounding like he had an epiphany and causes everyone to look to him. 

"Yeah. These are times I've gotten headaches and almost every time Zarkon's fleet or a robeast appeared within two vargas."

Lance presses a holographic button and four screens hovering above them. One where xanthorium crystals are seen in the side view of the castle from Lance's seat, another with him giving the mice a bath in the kitchen, one of the training deck were he danced around Keith, and the final one that everyone was privy to just before they were found again. Almost in-sync each Lance went through a headache with the degree of pain looking worst and worst, but Shiro forces himself to watch. Each time Lance would freeze and look dead-eye before his body would spasm before stopping. But with each one of the episodes lasting longer and on the training deck his magic flew out from him knocking Keith about ten feet back. The last one, which they had been there for had Lance discharging the same amount of energy only for Allura to channel the magic to herself and redirect it into their crystal. 

"This... actually does makes a lot of sense when it's all put together. If you crossed energies with that Witch it is possible that there is a latent bond between you two that she is unknowingly attacking when she forces the Black Lion to recognize it bond with Zarkon." Allura admits and looks deep in thought.

"But how would he know that they were looking for it?" Keith asks looking unconvinced.

"That's because Lance has a connection with all the Lions." Shiro finds himself saying.

_Better to just rip off the band-aid._

Everyone looks shock, including Coran and Allura, but instead of looking at a sheepish Lance they were staring at him.

_So they knew._

"What? Really?! How – how does that work? Can you talk to all them? Can you pilot all of them? Can you be the Yellow Paladin or like the Black Paladin?" Hunk rambles as he walks closer to Lance with every question.

Lance waves his hands in front of him, "I think you are giving me too much credit Hunk. I couldn't and wouldn't do that to you and Yellow. You're both balls of sunshine. I couldn't break you up."

"Oh thank you." And Hunk leans over, almost bending Lance in two, as he hugs him and Lance just laughs as he hugs him back.

"No problem buddy."

"But how would we even test this?" Keith brings up as he continues to glares at the floor.

Shiro looks in Keith direction and studies him. He looks more weary and is fidgeting more – or at least what passes as fidgeting for Keith – like how someone would act if they were being watched. It's seems to be a running theme since they came back from the Thaldycon system and only got worst after the robeast that attack them before they got the Oklari's distress signal.

"I may have an idea for that." 

Everyone turns to the only other Paladin in their chair and see Pidge smug smirk before explaining.

"As it happens, I took our list of recent Galra attacks and analyzed it for both commonalities and anomalies among the attack sites. I was hoping to create an algorithm that would, within a statistically acceptable margin of error, provide a list of target-rich Galra environments color-coded, of course, because what are we, animals?" Pidge explains proudly.

Pidge pulls up her color-coded matrix for finding the Galra and that shows them currently 117 systems over from where they had last encounter Zarkon.

"We'll use this as a test," Shiro decides, "We go to a system nowhere near Galra and if Lance has a headache and later Galra arrive it means that he can tell when Zarkon's going to appear and we can be prepare."

At the affirmative nods Shiro looks back to Pidge, "What is the close planet?"

"Actually there's a distress call coming from a planet called Taujeer and it's only a system over and is nowhere near any Galra."

It was a risk, but if they could help the planet's inhabitants before the headache struck they could still do some good and if not they would know to draw away in enough time to protect them and come back soon after.

"Then that's where we're headed. Everyone should get some sleep. Tomorrow, we'll help these people and test out our theory," As everyone was being dismissed Shiro catches up to Keith, "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. Why?" Keith answers, but Shiro can tell he isn't going to tell him anything yet.

"You just seem a bit anxious."

He knows Keith won't tell him something if he think it would bother him. But Shiro had learned early on if he could discern the emotion Keith was going through and brings it up he had at least a 50% higher chance of Keith telling him what was on his mind.

Keith stares up at him and Shiro is shocked by how scared and vulnerable he looks. Its for only a second, but it was like he was back outside of the juvie center telling Keith he had potential. When the look is gone Keith has closed himself down even more and Shiro knows he's not getting anything else but simple answers from him.

"I'm fine. Just tired. Like you said, I should get some sleep."

"Okay. Get some rest, we'll need you at your best tomorrow."

Shiro ruffles his hair and sees Keith's lips twitch a bit, meaning he wasn't too lost in his head, and continues on his way to his bed actually determined to get a full five to six hours before tomorrow.

 

A'lanor.

Lance never thought his birth name would sound so dirty, but when he had interacted with Black's bond and found the link to the Witch he had also found a link to Emperor of the Galra. He knows in reality it was only tick as time is truly a concept on the astral plane – thank the Ancients – but at that moment it felt like an eternity as he felt the aura of Zarkon as well as the terror of him calling out his name sounding almost astounded that he had encountered him.

Shaking his head to loose those recent memories he finds himself wandering towards Hunk's room. His subconscious must have wanted one of his awesome hugs, but with everything that just happened its likely he fell asleep as soon as he walked into his room. Turning around he is shocked to see Keith walking down in a daze and Lance is sure he can guess it was because of similar thoughts.

"Hey Keith."

The person in question looks up doesn't really acknowledge him, "Hmm." 

"So why did you think it was you?"

Lance doesn't mean to let the question slip pass his lips, but he needed the distraction and helping others allowed him to do that. Keith freezes in front of his door and looks scared only for his regular frown to come back.

"Why does it matter?" He ask gruffly.

"Keith I'm not trying to be invasive I just wanted to know why you thought that. You've been acting weird...er than usual."

Keith turns to him with a face of indecision before subtly shaking his head 'no'.

"Lance I – I think I'm the cause because I'm not who you think I am?" He answer, but even to Lance's ears it sounds like a question.

"And who are you?"

Keith's face crumples as he looks down, ".... I don't know anymore."

**_"I'm glad Keith's here and that he's getting along with people for once. If things got confrontational he would usually leave. Here, he's able to be himself and no one really judges him. He doesn't have to be afraid or hurt enough to leave. It's not the best circumstances, but I'm glad we're here."_ **

Shiro had told him this when Lance had asked about his and Keith's relationship. He told him sparingly about choppy beginnings, but more about funny happenings and enjoyable adventures. But as they were walking back to their rooms Shiro let out this little fond introspection that had him looking younger.

Lance wasn't sure what was happening now, but he was going to make sure Keith felt comfortable. With himself and with them.

"Come with me."

 

"Come with me."

And Lance doesn't give him a chance to protest before he drags him to his room anyway. It takes some serious, and he means serious, convincing on Lance's side, but somehow he gets him into his closet where his personal bathroom was. And somehow – with the only explanation being witchcraft – Keith finds himself willing disrobing to get into a bubble bath in what can only be described as a jacuzzi tub.

"Do you have stay here?" Keith ask agitated and a little self-conscious of the situation he was in.

He had thought Lance would leave before he got to his pants, but the prince was perched on his unbelievably wide sink counter with his legs crossed, elbows resting in his knees, and his hands holding his head up with a too innocent smile on his face.

"How will I know you got in if I don't?"

"Lance."

"Beside why are you worried. I've seen you after training in the showers. You're fine," Then his smile goes from slightly devious to completely catty, "and you're not half bad." He actually purrs.

"Lance!" He stresses as his face burns with embarrassment.

And a little pride.

He watches the prince unsuccessfully bite back his laughter, "Okay I'll stop. You look like you're about to explode." Before sliding off the counter and walking out into his closet.

Keith quickly takes off his pants and boxers and sinks all the way in to the pleasantly hot bubble filled bath, in case Lance walked back in. But he slowly starts to forget about most of the stuff that was making him worry with how warm and comfortable the bath is. He doesn't even really notice when Lance gets back or that he starts shampooing his hair. By the time he gets out and is dressed in some borrowed nightclothes and sitting on Lance's bed Keith is struck by a thought.

"You're the one with some Witch stabbing you in the head and having seizures and your response to all of this is to take care of me?"

The methodical brush strokes stop for a brief moment before Lance is back at it.

"That's a very descriptive image and I don't think there actually seizures – anyway getting off topic – this helps me relax. The taking care of others. I would help brush out all of Allura's hair before a diplomatic meeting, I would read my mother her favorite poems after we got back from the hospitals, or give my father a shoulder message before addressing the planet. I want to help you because right now you look like you could use a friend." He explains kindly.

"What did they do for you?" 

Lance drops the section of hair he was holding and Keith chances the risk of turning around to see what trouble he had caused now when asking Lance about his family. But instead of looking hurt or upset he looks softly at the hairbrush in his hold and grins.

"Allura would help me go over any proper decorum, my mother would sing for me and get me to sing along, and my father would hug me and tell me that he was proud of me and at the end of the day, no matter what, he'd always would be."

Keith feels his heart jump at the end as that was something his dad used to say to him as well.

"That's is so sweet it makes my teeth hurt." He says quietly to himself.

"You sure it's not you eating more than your share of treats Hunk makes?" Lance ask and Keith looks up immediately, but the prince doesn't look offended at all.

Keith smirks a bit at him and says jokingly, "I don't know what you're talking about?"

"Sure you don't hotshot." Lance says with a chuckle as he gets up from the bed to put his brush down on the vanity.

"But really. It's cute what your family did."

Lance looks up only to turn away with a shy smile, "Thank you."

"So what's next?" Keith asks, resigned to his fate of not being able to leave until Lance feels he's okay.

"Head massage!" Lance cries out as he bounces back onto the bed and yanks Keith backwards onto his lap in one swift motion.

So Keith has never had a massage, but he's sure that the one Lance is giving would be better than anyone he would ever get. His head doesn't hurt anymore and his face feels weirdly loose, but in a good way. He starts drifting to sleep and only wakes up a bit when the lights behind his eyes go out. He's sure Lance says something about trust, but he's too sleepy to ask him to repeat it.

* * *

"Morning. How are you?" Lance smiles cheerfully at Allura who is frowning slightly.

"I should ask you?" Allura sounds disappointed as she stares hard at Lance and him.

Keith was honestly still too out of it to care and decides that if anyone can handle the princess it would be the prince.

"Why?"

"Why did you and Keith exit your room together?"

"Just giving Keith some of the Lancey Lance extra lovin' care, you know." Lance says with a wink, to which Allura gives a knowing nod and her face smooths into genial smile.

But Keith stopped listening as he looks up and sees someone he didn't want to hear where he spent last night.

"Shit."

Dropping his bowl and sliding across the counter he barely hears Lance or Allura asking him questions before he's running out the door.

Keith never knew what pampering really entailed, but he knew it meant getting whatever you wanted without putting in any work. He didn't think he would enjoy it because of that, but after Lance's whole R&R he saw why people did it as it actually made him too relax to think or to leave like he planned to do. As soon as his head hit the bed he was out until he woke up with a prince octopused around him – his head tucked under his chin, arms around his waist, and legs wrapped around each other. After extracting himself from that he looked for his jacket that has his phone, with a newly calibrated clock for him, saying it was about eight in the 'morning' which was the regular time everyone got up. Which made an escape from the Castle completely impossible. Keith wanted to be angry, but he felt so good it seemed like too much of an effort to get upset. So he settled for pulling the blankets and Lance off the bed – calling it a wake up call – before leaving.

Seeing it enough times to know that he shouldn't be seen leaving with Lance, because of the implications, he got dressed as quick as he could. Though nothing is ever easy for Keith as he barely made it out of the room before he's turning around for his jacket because showing up without it would look even more suspicious. But if he had left it Allura apparently wouldn't have seen him leaving her brother's room and she wouldn't be asking questions that could easily be misinterpreted. But that's what happened and why he's sprinting down the hall and calling for his only family left.

"Shiro! Shiro wait!"

He does finally stops, just before the elevator, but he's standing a little to rigid and when he turns to face him Shiro's face has the vacant fake smile he would wear when showing extremely annoying politicians around the Garrison. 

"Keith it's okay. I understand." He says softly.

"No you don't! It's not what it looks like!"

"Keith. It's fine. I just wish you said something when I told you my feelings and I won't hav–"

"I didn't tell you anything because there was nothing to tell!" Keith cuts him off as he grabs his vest and has to stop himself from trying to shake sense into Shiro, "Don't you understand? What you think is happening isn't! I promise, I wouldn't do that to you. Ask Lance too. He literally dragged me to his room, made me take a bubble bath, then brushed out my hair, and dropped me in his stupidly soft bed. I didn't ask for that. He just wanted to do that. To be nice." Keith stresses as he actually starts shaking Shiro, though he barely moves an inch.

Shiro looks down at him, face blank of any emotion, "That's it? To just be nice?"

Keith freezes at that and lets go of Shiro. As much as he wants to tell him – more than wanting to tell Lance – he just can't. Not if its true, not if part of his heritage is what hurt his best friend — his brother like this. Shiro waits for an answer and Keith wants to give him one, any one, but cops out.

"He felt it was need." Keith says quickly, not even able to look Shiro in the eyes as he lied to him.

He hears Shiro swallow and let out a shuttering breath that has Keith clenching his fists and mentally kicking himself for not saying the truth.

"Okay." He says simply and so defeated.

"Shiro." He says, but Keith honestly doesn't have anything more he can say to defend himself besides the truth.

So he watches in frustation as Shiro does what he's always feared and turns his back to him as he walks into the elevator, "I have to check the surrounding system to make sure we're free from any Galra activity. You should get something to eat. I'll see you on the bridge later."

"Shi-"

But his plead goes unheard as the door close before he can walk in and the only emotion Keith can feel is anger at the situation, his life, and at himself as he punches one of the elevator door before turning away to find somewhere to cool down, not noticing the faint fist imprint he left in the alien metal.

 

"Keith are you okay?" Lance ask as the Red Paladin all but stomps onto the bridge.

He's not sure why he ran off, but it looked like Keith was right back where he was earlier. Maybe worst. 

"I'm never sleeping in your bed again." Keith grouses and goes to flop down in his seat.

"But it's a good bed. With lots of pillows." Lance tries to reason, feeling weirdly protected of his insulted bed.

"I'll use the couch." 

"What - but I thought - you and Keith?" Hunk says sounding three types of confused as he looks rapidly back and forth between them.

Lance raises an eyebrow at Hunk's sputtering, "Me and Keith what?"

Hunk freezes before fidgeting with his hands, "You know...sittin' in a tree?" He says slowly and clearly uncomfortable.

Lance stares at Hunk for a bit with a perplexed look before a connection went off for him, "Do you mean sitting by a pond?"

Pidge turns around in her chair and fixes him with a look, "What is sitting by a pond?"

"It's a rhyme about lovers." Allura says calmly, like she trying to not to crack a smile at their culture shock conversation.

"You know like... um Hunk and Shay sitting by a pond c-u-d-d-l-e all day." Lance recites happily.

Both Pidge and Hunk turn to look at each other before looking at him like he grew a second head, "Weird. It's so eerily close." Pidge comments while Hunk shouts back, "Stop it!"

"Enough with the nursery rhymes, this isn't grade school." Shiro says coolly and just the tone of his voice tells Lance that Shiro wants them to start acting seriously.

"We should be entering Taujeer's orbit soon." Coran announces to the bridge, "There seems to be some type of caustic debris coming our way. Raising the particle barrier now.

"Good and keep a scan going for Galra as well." Shiro says before the systems of Castle start to glitch in and out.

The radiation and debris surrounding the planet was insanely high if it was messing with the Castle's systems and was probably one of the main reason the Taujeerians were fleeing planet. Shiro makes the call for them to go down to what left of the planet that was apparently creating the debris, not being bombarded by it. Allura moves the Castle out of the radiation's interference to make sure they could stay in contact and so Coran could easily pick up on any ships about to hyperjump to their position.

"Thank goodness you're here! I am Baujal, the leader of the Taujeerians. The Galra just destroyed our ship's engines and left." Baujal cries out as he runs over to them.

"The Galra were here?” And Lance turns to Pidge with a questioning look.

"Sometimes statistics have outliers." She says lowly as she glares back at him.

Lance raises his hands in surrender and quickly hides himself behind Hunk.

"They've taken everything. We must get everyone off the planet before it dissolves completely! Please, help us!" Baujal pleads with them.

"How long do we have?" Shiro questions the leader only for a piece of the small island rock they're on to break off into the boiling green sea, "How did this happen?"

"We've known for years that our planet would eventually lose its outer layer." Baujal answers.

"Like a snake shedding its skin?" Keith questions dryly.

"A snake?" Lance finds himself asking and looking to Hunk for an answer.

"Yeah! Its a reptile without any legs."

"Oh and with wings," Lance smiles as he catches on to what animal Hunk is describing,"I know those."

But when he looks around Keith, Pidge, and Hunk are all giving him weird looks.

"What?"

"They have wings?" Hunk asks sounding in awe of the idea.

Pidge leans over into his space and squints at him like she trying to decide if he's fibbing or not.

"How big were they?" 

"Between 7.8 t'qell to 14 t'qell."

"Did it have teeth?"

"A quiznacking lot! The worst was the plasma spit. It could burn through almost anything."

"Oh my God. Altea had dragons." Keith deadpans, but looks super intrigued with the idea of 'dragons'.

He waves his hands out in front of him to stop anyone else from talking, "I'm confused. Are we not talking about the same thing."

Pidge shakes her head 'no', "Snake are reptiles with no other appendages, that have jaws that unhinge, and at most have a set of fangs for protection. They mostly swallow their food whole and only grow up to about 0.4 meters or about 0.6 t'qell."

"Were you and Allura ever kidnapped by one? Any of your family? Did they hoard whatever passed as gold on your planet?" Hunk walks up and grabs his shoulders questioning him in a rushed and concerned voice, but leaving Lance more confused than before.

"Now really isn't the time be talking about deadly and apparently real creatures from Altea." Shiro says sternly as he turns to them and looking at them with his 'I expected better' face.

"Probably because you can't be his real-life knight." Pidge whispers.

But Lance hears her loud and clear and turns away from the group to hide his blush and happy smile. But Keith is standing there and gives him the most judgement stare he's had since he woke up, prompting him to mouth 'what' at him before turning back around.

"Pidge." Shiro says in warning.

"Okay okay. Jeez, but basically a snake sheds its skin when it gets older for a new, healthy layer."

"Nope. No, the next layer is definitely bad for our health. It's acid." Hunk calls out from the edge of the rock.

"Yes, the plan was to evacuate the population to our nearest moon, where we have built a colony to wait out the shedding process. So we relocated to higher ground and constructed that ark." Baujal tells them mournfully.

"But then the Galra attacked." Lance supplies, figuring where this story was going.

"Yes they were led by a vile commander named Morvok. He robbed us of vital resources and left us with only one operational engine, stranding us here."

Shiro steps forward and says in his best commander's voice, "You're not stranded anymore. We will save your people."

"Assuming we can get it back up, the repairs will still take time." Pidge points out, though she has a point.

Stepping closer to the edge with Hunk he watches it bubble up and eat away at the crust before taking a good couple steps back, "Which would appear to be the one thing we — Argh!"

Lance is sure he heard – felt his heart explode, shattering everything in his chest leaving him incapable of breathing. He feels like he's can't keep straight, that he's spinning and feels more nauseous than after pulling out of a tailspin. But the excruciating pain doesn't stop there – it was like every previous attack that had been plaguing Lance was nothing to what he was feeling now. It feels like it was directed just at him as everything burned, inside and out, until it felt like ice pooled from his stomach and out across him. Then he's staring at the night sky yet Lance knows it's day.

Right?

Sitting up he sees he's not only in Blue's astral plane, but without his armor, dressed only in his normal court clothes. And instead of the bright sunny sky there are galaxies of an unknown universe traveling overhead. He had been forced into Black's consciousness as well. As beautiful as the starlit ocean was Lance knew it would be tainted soon.

"A'lanor." His names echoes as it's carried on ripples of the slowly rolling sea.

_I hate it when I'm right._

"A'lanor." His name is called out again with more insistence. 

"No." He tells himself, tells himself to be strong.

But ultimately Lance can't stop himself from turning towards the familiar voice. He stands in the distance at the horizon, almost eclipsing the unseen sun. Lance only takes a step back before he is suddenly brought forward to only stand a few t'qell in front of the scourge of the universe. Lance is frozen in pure shock and fear as he looks up into lifeless glowing eyes.

Zarkon stares down at him then slowly reaches a hand out in between the small distance that is keeping them apart and keeping Lance's sanity intact.

"You will come to me." He commands.

This spurs Lance into action, taking two steps back, shaking his head in defiance.

"No way. Why would I do that? You're the enemy and I'm no one to you. You're nothing to me!"

_Not anymore._

But the Emperor is not deterred as he stretches out his arm for him causing Lance to tense up as his mind yells different commands, but he can't follow any of them. Warmth is the first thing he registers, then the roughness is next as Lance realizes that a large hand is gently caressing his right cheek. Zarkon's was touching him – his thumb smoothing over his sïqę with the upmost care as he slowly draws him in and Lance lets him.

_Like you always wanted._

Some ugly part of himself hisses as Lance catches himself and turns sharply out of Zarkon's touch.

"You are very wrong at that," Zarkon calmly objects, "I see they still haven't told you the truth. The truth that you hold the key. That you belong to me as much as the Black Lion does. That you need me," Lance shakes his head 'no' against the lies as he steps completely out of Zarkon's reach, "And yet you stay with them."

Lance turns to glares at him — Who was he to say that his family and friends would willingly lie to him?! Zarkon was literally the king of all deceit. And he thought that Lance would choose him over them?

"In a heartbeat!" Lance yells back fiercely and with as much conviction he could muster.

Zarkon growls at his response and starts to stride forward. After him.

"You will be mine!"

But before Zarkon can get to him the water in front of Lance rises up in a massive wave and crashes over him and its like he's coming up for air as he shoots up from where he was laying on the hard surface and in Hunk's arms. The speed of standing up hits him with an intense sense of vertigo and he stumbles back into Hunk's waiting arms groaning.

"Lance are you okay?"

It takes a few ticks, but he finds his voice again, "Yeah, yeah I'm fine."

He voice scratches at his throat as he tries to swallow some saliva to relieve the dryness. Ignoring the small amount of regurgitate spittle in his helmet,  _I need to wipe that out before the smell sticks_ , Lance stands up with Hunk and looks around to see that Blue was standing over head and Red was across from her with Pidge and Shiro on his paws and Keith in his mouth. Lance also notices that they had moved closer to the edge of the island as well.

"Coran, start the timer and be alert. I know for sure that the Galra will be here." Lance says grimly as he thinks back to his encounter.

"On it your highness."

Looking to everyone else he tried to ignore the worried glances thrown his way, "So shedding of the planet's surface how are.... why is Red pissed at me?" Taking time to look to the smaller Lion that was radiating as much anger as the planet was radiating heat.

"You almost cooked his Paladin that’s why." Pidge retorts as she walks over – voice filled with sarcasm, but her face marred by worry.

"What? Did I –"

And Lance looks at her blankly before looking down to see that there was indeed more fissures and their new location was really the near middle of the island they were originally standing on. Only now there were pieces floating away and he doesn't remember any of it, unlike the last five times.

"You cracked the surface of the island. Which is the highest point and most solid piece here." She continues as she starts to run a scan on him, "He's okay now. Or as okay as Lance ever is."

Now Keith's location makes sense as he looks up at him sitting on the edge of Red's open jaw, "I’m so sorry."

"Its fine," Keith shrugs it off, "Now I know Red can withstand boiling acid."

_That does nothing to make me feel better._

"Okay team," And everyone directs their attention to Shiro, "Lance is right, we need to focus on how we're going to slow down the shedding so we can fix their ark. We're really on the clock now."

"How do you stop a planet that's coming apart at the seams?" Pidge ask looking down at the new fractures.

"By sewing it back together!" Hunk exlcaims with a snap of his fingers.

Keith leans a bit more out of the safety of Red's mouth as he looks down at that their mechanic, "What are you thinking Hunk?" 

"That new Green Lion weapon causes vegetation to grow, right? Well, I was thinking that if you aim it at the cracks in the planet the vines could act like stitches." Hunk explains excitedly.

"But won't the stitches get dissolved by the acid?" Shiro asks.

"Not if they're frozen." Lance adds as he gets Hunk's drift and looking over he gives him a double thumbs up and a wide grin.

"It's a plan. Hunk, you and I will take our Lions and get this ark upright while Keith moves more pieces together so Pidge and Lance can buy us some more time. Coran gives us updates on our time."

The team breaks, but not before Lance grabs Shiro's arm in passing. Shiro turns to look at him sternly and he knows he'll get reprimanded if he doesn't speak quickly. This isn't Shiro, his crush. This was Black Paladin Shiro.

"Shiro I saw him. He talked to me this time. He knows." He whispers urgently.

He watches as Shiro's eye widen in worry and he frowns in anger before his face settles back into his stoic manner as he nods. Lance lets go and watches him jogs to the safety of his Lion before stepping into Blue.

"Alright team lets move as fast and efficiently as we can."

They did just that, building up more around landmass near the back of the ark before moving out around the island and adding more to the sides, especially where Lance had taken a small chunk off. But they had only gotten the Taujeerians' ark up in the air before Coran was alerting them that something was coming out of hyperspace. A Galra cruiser came out much closer to the planet's surface and immediately took out the ark's thusters out as well as some of the stitches, leaving them to defend the Taujeerians and Hunk until Allura and Coran could make it through the debris field in to bail them out. With their attention on the Castle they were able to push the ark further up allowing them to form Voltron, destroy the cruiser, and get the Taujeerians to their moon.

* * *

"While we now know, it is still very disturbing that it is the Black Lion Zarkon is tracking us through." Allura states while looking around the table.

Tired from today's rescue they had decided to eat dinner while having their brief briefing. 

"At least you didn't have to come astral projection to astral projection with him." Lance mumbles. 

He couldn't see her reaction with his hood up, but he was sure it was not pleased. He was feeling very exposed after his run in with Zarkon and opted for a more relaxed jumpsuit as opposed to wearing his regular court regalia, which felt wrong to wear after his close encounter. It was similar, but a different cut to the collar making it shorter than the usual and is colored with sea foam accents and mostly blue and greys. He wore shorter boots and instead of his arm length gloves they only went to his elbows, his Mother's bracelets still resting on his wrists. The most striking part of the outfit was the loops of opaque foam colored fabric resting on his back that looped down from his shoulder blades and over his upper arms in multiple layers with one layer being a wide hood that he was currently wearing.

"Yeah we never got to ask you, but are you alright?" Hunk asks wearily.

Lance didn't blame them for forgetting, especially with how stressed Hunk was. But he had told them in the midst of fighting when the the Galra showed up earlier than expected letting them know he kind of met and pissed of Zarkon on the astral plane. There had been a resounding 'What!?' from the other Paladins and the Castle before laser fire distracted them. But Lance had told them in more detail while they were coming back to the Castle.

_Well almost everything. Tonight will definitely be a me and Allura thing later. She needs to know._

"Yeah I'm fine. Weirded out, but fine. Blue saved me after all." Lance tries to smile at Hunk and look unaffected by his own lie.

"That's good and at least you're not hurt. That is the most important thing and until we can address this problem we must be on our guard. The Galra are not likely to attack so soon after today, now that they know we will be ready for an attack, but we cannot know for sure." Allura says before sitting down and unofficially ending the briefing.

"That's one good thing though. Plus, we learned a few other things today." Lance tries to brighten the gloomy mood.

"Yeah, like my Lion can grow armor and extend its claws like 'Ting!' Which will come in handy if we ever needed to, say, I don't know, slice up a giant steak while getting beat up. Or fight evil and save innocent people." Hunk throws in and has everyone cracking a smile or giggling a bit at his comment.

"Also that the Lions can sense us in danger and are capable of deeper emotions then we knew, with the Red Lion diving in to save Keith, Pidge, and I from falling into the acid. They truly are remarkable machines." Shiro continues turning slightly towards him with an impressed grin.

"I told you. Starting from quintant one that it's all about the bond." Lance smiles back.

Then oddly, Shiro stops smiling – to anyone else it would look like he was, but Lance could see his lips turn down a bit when he looked to him. They finish up the rest of the meal in relative quiet with only small conversations happening between neighbors instead of a table discussion. When everyone is done Shiro and he clean up, as it was their day, and do so in silence, though Lance can tell it wasn't as comfortable as they were usually used to.

"So we did it, and figured everything out." Lance says in a bit of an exaggerated voice as he turns from the dishwasher to look at Shiro's profile.

He doesn't look up from where his eyes are focused on scraping some leftover food into the disposal, "Yes we did."

But Lance watches as his lips twist into a tiny frown and his forehead wrinkles a bit like he's trying to stop his face from having a reaction.

Closing the washer Lance steps closer, "Is something wrong?"

"No!" Shiro stands up straighter and causes Lance to lean back a bit at the loud response, but at least he looking at him again, "I – there was a misunderstanding between me and Keith."

Lance was immediately on edge not wanting to choose sides about whatever they had an argument about. Though they had worked perfectly today so there was a possibly Lance was blowing it out of proportion.

"What about?" He asked gently.

He watches fascinated as Shiro's ears, the bridge of his nose, and the tops of his cheeks go pink as he speaks, "........You two. I don't mind – I'm glad he found someone – and I don't care that you're together. I only care it doesn't disrupts the tea–"

A lot of thoughts were going through Lance's mind, but on who was courting who was not one of them. And definitely not Keith. 

"What! Woah stop the comet! No-no-no. We didn't – no I – he was – Keith really just needed a friend last night and I was just being that."

Shiro looks over sadly and Lance's heart breaks at his doleful stormy eyes and his unsure expression.

"Just that?" He asks quietly and Lance can't stop himself from place his left hand over Shiro's right, which was gripping the sink counter too tightly, but lightens some as he rubs the warm metal.

"Only that big boy," Lance answers smiling his warmest and most sincere smile, "Sadly I don't think my charm works on permanently scowly. I'm still very much unattached." And winks for added affect and because he knows Shiro will laugh at that.

True to form he does chuckle a bit before raising his left hand in defeat, "Okay. Okay. Don't lay it on too thick." Shiro says as he gazes down at him.

"Can't promise anything, but I'm glad we worked that out." 

"Me too."

They gaze into each others' eyes with small, but immensely happy smiles adorning their lips before Shiro's eyes widen with surprise, like he realized where he was, and looks away with a timid expression. With the moment broken Lance quickly gathers up his sanity and slightly confused emotions and forces himself to say something before things can get awkward. 

"Well," He draws out and already mentally wincing at how he sounds, "I need to talk with Allura real quick, so, so would you... still like to walk me back to my room. Or her's since I need to... go... there." Lance closes his eyes and bites his lip to stop himself from speaking and embarrassing himself any longer.

He hears a little huff of laughter and feels his left hand being move. Opening his eyes, Lance sees that Shiro had reposition it to rest on the length of his arm and he raises his eyes to Shiro's grinning face.

"I would be delighted to Lance."

Smiling back Lance stands closer and walks shoulder-to-shoulder with him back to the royal wing.

_Well that didn't end too badly after all._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's a late posting. Was moving my youngest brother back into his dorm and it was an allday affair so I didn't get to do my final writing and proofing until now.


	14. Let's go to the mall, today

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So while this is the weirdest trip to a mall he's ever had it was definitely the most fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't resist the title. I tried, but I couldn't.

"First things first; the matter of Zarkon tracking us through the Black Lion." Allura addresses the team, the beginning of many things that needed to be done.

"So how are we gonna to stop him from doing that?" Pidge asks her.

His sister crosses her arms in contemplation before speaking, "We've never had a situation like this before. Yes, Lance has multiple bonds, but they're benign and thus not a issue to you all. But two Paladins battling for the same Lion is something completely new."

"Then why not make the bond stronger."

Everyone looks over to Shiro who is standing at the far end of their circle, "If I forge a newer stronger bond with my Lion, more so then Zarkon's, I could keep him from taking control. It would then be the Black Lion's choice if it want's to go to him, which it wouldn't, and leave us free from Zarkon taking control again." Shiro elaborates and Lance knows he must have come up with that conclusion after they talked about the bonds more last night.

"Well, while you're working on that there is the other matter that the rest of us can do, which is to find some new Teludav lenses. Otherwise we won't be able to travel via wormhole." Coran brings up, woefully reminding everyone of what had happened and their one in a million chance escape.

"Is that something we have to mail order?" Hunk asks looking around for an answer.

"And does anyone even make those anymore?"

Keith makes a really good point. Other ways of travel would have progressed in their time asleep.

"Maybe, who knows?" Lance speaks up, "We might have to bake up some more of Hunk's scaultrite delights if not." He laughs a little at his own joke.

"You joke, but I’m very proud of those cookies." Hunk says in a huff with a playful frown as he turns away.

"I don't think our oven could take it if we did," Allura jokes back, "But Keith has a point. Only a few Alteans could use the Teludav 10,000 ago. They may not exist anymore." Her face going serious with thought.

_If all they needed was a different oven maybe they could cook some on Tazerine's salt flats._

But the snap of a mustache has everyone looking to a deviously smiling Coran, "I think I may know where we can get some."

And the twinkle in his eyes has both Allura and him looking at each in worry before mentally asking the Ancients for patience. Which they'll need when he pulls up the front holo-screen to show stock photos of the Unilu and some more personal photos of their Father and Coran, but much younger.

Lance laughs immediately realizing what Coran is going to suggest, while Allura groans before putting those noises into words.

"Coran! You're not suggesting going to one of those filthy swap moons! The last time you went, those space pirates took you for everything you had." She says in an exasperated huff, not looking at all pleased.

"Space pirates? Like Treasure Planet?!" Hunk looks up and bounces a bit excitedly.

Everyone turns to look over at Hunk questioningly and Lance is surprised that even Keith and Shiro seem baffled, while Pidge looks amused.

"Really?" Is all she says.

"What? It's a classic." He mumbles defensively, looking away.

"The Unilu were traders and pirates that roamed the galaxies and dealt in black market goods. Umvy spice, By-tor water, little bottles of Infinity vapor. Of course, you had to bargain. No one could bargain like the Unilu. Last time, I ended up giving away three quarters of my shipment of lango in exchange for a used pogo oscillator." He retells the story chuckling and wiping a tear from his eye at the memory.

"Father was not pleased about that." Allura agrees with her own chuckle.

"Well," Lance slides over to his sister with an idea in mind to make a possibly dull day fun, "while Coran is picking up the lenses, and hopefully not getting swindled, maybe we can do some shopping and get you something sparkly.

Allura's eyes go wide as her smile grows, "Oh you're the best baby brother ever."

"I try." He says as he dust off his nails, smirking at her.

But Coran immediately ruins their sibling bonding by pushing them apart so he can scold them both.

"This isn't shopping! You're not wandering around saying 'What a lovely pink hat! This is so becoming.' No! I can't allow either of you to get anywhere near those filthy, lowballing Unilu hoodlums." He comments so passionately that his face tints a little red around his sïqę.

"But I'd love something sparkly." Allura says sweetly as she slides over to Coran making her eyes adorably huge.

"She wants something sparkly." Lance adds as he bats his eyes.

But Coran does not look deterred by the double attack of cuteness.

"Look, you're both are very important to the mission and to me," Coran reaches out and takes one of their hands each, "I know you need to run about and fight, but just this once could you stay close to home. You're the only ones that can operate the Castle. Lance you're a Paladin and you've been in danger before. And Allura you need to be resting, after all you've been through."

They both look perfectly subdue, but Lance isn't one to let things lie.

"But I want to see one," And yes, he did whine, but he really wants to see one of these moons, "Plus, I could help! I know what they look like and I'm not as tried as Allura. I still have enough energy to change. And I'll be way more careful."

"Coran is right Lance. It wouldn't be safe after last time." Shiro comes to Coran's defense.

That has him scowling and pouting at their leader which has zero affect to his stupidly handsome stoic face.

"I'll wear a pair of the tracking cuff earrings too." Lance tries again.

"Really Prince A’lanor. This isn't up for debate aaanndd you’ve already changed."

He had been ready for a quick change the moment Coran informed them of the pirates. He had swapped out his pearl white hair for a darker shade of his skin tone. He also blended his sïqę into his copper skin and even added a dusting of those skin spots called freckles over his nose and cheeks. He had seen them on Pidge's nose when they were on Olkarion and thought they were adorable. And finally he had turned his eyes completely navy blue.

"Please. I’ll even stay with someone at all times, be completely innocuous, and radio in every ten doboshes." He says in his sweetest voice and with the most innocent face he can muster hoping to not use his overkill move so soon.

"Coran. You should let him go before he gives you the baby Chirape eyes," Allura laughs at Coran's predicament, "Besides, it might be better if he was farther away from the Lions when Shiro attempting to strengthen his bond. I'll even stay here and rest." She says calmly.

"Very well," The advisor sighs in defeat, "Now, let's ready a pod for our mission. We need to get in, find the scaultrite lenses, and just get out. Meet at the pod in thirty-two doboshes."

Lance reaches out before he can walk past and gives Coran a tight hug, "Thank you, I promise I'll be good." 

"I find myself troubled and placate by that sentiment." Coran replies wryly with a grin before walking towards the doors.

Then Lance remembers the size of the pods and the amount of people going and calls out as he runs up to Coran, "I call the shotgun!"

"What? No, you have to be in the pod bay to call shotgun." Hunk yells after him.

"Since when?"

"Since forever? That's shotgun etiquette! I wrote the book." Hunk says with authority before crossing his arms in defiance.

"Will it matter if I get there first?" Lance smirks which grows wider as Hunk realizes his game.

"Ah-buh-buh-buh – You need to change into something a little less …royal first." Coran throws an arm out almost hitting him in the chest and stopping him from going any further.

"But—" If he did he would lose his spot up front.

"Your passenger seat will be saved."

Lance lets off a round of cheers as they exit into the hall while Hunk boos. Keith and Pidge just shrugs and roll their eyes at them.

"Do something Pidge!" Hunk pleads with her, even going so far as to kneel before her.

Pidge looks down at her fallen friend and back up at him and Coran before adjusting her glasses in her weird quiet way.

"That's some loyalty." 

"It is indeed." Coran replies equally indifferent.

"Pidge!" Hunk calls out and flops onto the floor grumbling about betrayal and how late night coding sessions meant nothing to her.

Lance just sticks his tongue out and skips to his room. He had a wardrobe to hike through.

 

 _Can't believe I'm doing this_.

Standing in front of the wide double doors Shiro shakes himself and knocks, reminding himself why he's here.

_Professional, not social._

The large left door slides opens some and Lance peaks from around it. 

“Shiro?" His eyes go from annoyed to pleasantly surprised only for them to go shrew as he looks him up and down, "Are you here to talk me out of going to the swamp moon?"

"Against my better judgement, no," He wants to, but he also knows that Lance will actively ignore him, "Just promise me you'll be safe."

Lance smiles up at after a few moments, "I will. Promise."

"That's all I can ask for," Shiro says resignedly trying to convince himself that he was okay with Lance leaving the ship for another moon, "What I'm actually here for is another question."

"Come on in.” And Lance pushes the door open and it hardly makes a sound.

Shiro walks into the prince's domain again and feels the need to look around the lovingly cared for room. He was still impressed with the amount of drapery around the bed and high up in the ceiling. The wall across from the bed had a collage of holographic pictures depicting many views of the oceans in their blue green color to the mountains with a slight lavender hue. Shiro could make out the dark skin and white hair that marked the people in the photos as Lance and Allura and possible their family. To the right is Lance's circular bed, a wide vanity with a trifold mirror, and next to that a large full length mirror. The vanity had so many products on it that Shiro would be surprised if Lance could even rest his arms on it. In the left-hand corner there was a changing screen and a wide couch that had multiple shirts hanging off it. Shiro could also see the large doors of the closet open behind the screen. 

Done surveying the room again Shiro looks over to Lance to ask his question, but turns away immediately. Shiro can feel the heat rising high on his cheeks at the display before him. He maybe have graduated early and head of his class, been a record breaker for speed and time spent in space, is an upstanding pilot, and now the leader of an intergalactic peace force, but he was still human. And watching this handsome alien prince — because yes, he does have eyes and he had realized he had developed a crush on the prince during their sleepover two weeks ago — as he languidly unzips the back of his jumpsuit and slowly peals himself out of the clothing, showing lovely expanses of smooth caramel skin that would put anyone at a lost for words and thoughts.

And that wasn't all.

Lance didn't disguise his other markings allowing Shiro to see the cute ones on his shoulders which were two dots – the higher one being smaller than the lower one – above a horizontal version of the markings on his face. There was another set of fantastic and more complicated teal designs at the base of his back that seemed to glow, highlighted by his skin. But best of all, was that Lance had taken off his boots leaving his long legs still clad in the stretchy soft fabric. Shiro had always been a sucker for slender legs and realizing he liked Lance more than a friend had made his legs, along with the rest of him, much more irresistible. Heck, he really should've known he would be affected by Lance when the prince's first words out of stasis was to compliment him and Shiro got flustered by it.

But Shiro was a good person and he was going to respect his friend’s privacy even when a small voice told him a little more of a peak wouldn't hurt.

“You can sit on the bed.”

Looking to the nicely made bed and then back to Lance's reflection he asks, “Are you sure?”

“Ha, I wouldn't have said so if I wasn't.” He smiles cheekily at him through the mirror.

“Right.” He whispers to himself and sits at the edge of the bed so it would stay relatively undisturbed and he didn't get too comfortable.

“So what did you want to talk about?” Lance asks as he twist and tucks the top part of the suit around him as he rummages through his vanity’s drawers.

Curiosity gets the better of him and Shiro leans back a bit to see Lance comparing earrings. Which had always confused him. How did Allura and him fit them into their helmets, especially Lance with the chain cuff connected to his left ear? It's only then that he realizes that he was staring at the young man who is smiling back at him with a very audacious grin.

“Hoops or dangles?” The prince asks coyly.

“Um... hoops?” Knowing he looks like a deer in headlights from being the sole receiver of this playful nature.

“My thoughts exactly.”

And with a wink Lance saunters over to the small table next to the couch to set them down before taking a few steps back to inspect his clothes laden furniture. Which puts him standing right in front of Shiro with his hips cocked to one side in thought. Shiro takes a deep breathe and prays for patience and self-control.

 _He is definitely going to be the death of me. One way or another_.

Shiro knows this is true as he tells himself not to look, but lets his eyes trail down anyway to the curve of Lance's lean back to the other set of teal markings at the base that leads to the swell of the prince's pert ass, toned thighs, and his strong slim legs that went on for days.

“Lance —," Shiro knows his voice sounds deeper and more strangled than usual and it has him coughing and trying to disguise how this was all affecting him.

Getting his voice under control he tries again, "Prince, I was going to ask you about the bond between the Lions. I know you said each bond is different, but I have to ask, how did you do it? How did you form a stronger bond with Blue?”

As Lance turns around to answer him Shiro wasn't expecting for Lance to walk up to him and lean into his space.

"Well first, do you think you and Black have a good relationship? Do you trust them?" Lance asks seriously as he looms over him.

"Yes."

He hadn't even paused to think about it. He knew he trusted the Black Lion, did so whenever they went out and he could feel their presence resting in the back of his head, standing beside him in a way.

Lance scrutinizes him and Shiro gets to stare at his wonderfully blue enchanting eyes and the adorable dusting of freckles running across his nose unheeded. Finally the prince smiles, satisfied, and turns back around to his couch.

"Good. Well, I've told you it happened when I was a child and because of my abilities. But more importantly it's because I did what most kids do,” He says thoughtfully before turning around with an article of clothing, “Oh, what do you think of this?”

He holds up a neon blue crop-top shirt with the shoulders cut out on the sleeves and in the back. 

“It's ...uh ... _very_  bright.” Shiro finds himself answering while also trying not to think about Lance wearing such a thing.

“Hm... you're right,” And he picks up a pale blue and white sleeveless shirt and walks behind the partition, “I was inquisitive. And I could never stop asking questions so I just directed them at the Lions after I found out that I could hear them. Then we all had a lot to talk about, but me and my beautiful Blue had more in common so I spent more time with her. The main thing for you though is to remember that they like to be heard so let them tell you what they want and don't interrupt - Unless needed - Also you know talking isn't like how we do, it's more mental thinking or senses. So try to push forward with your emotions and feel with your senses like mediation. And finally, you have to want to create a bond. Its not one-sided. Its like a team, knowing when to ask for help and when to step away. But I'm sure you'll figure it out. You've been doing well so far, you just need a boost. Does that make sense?”

While Shiro had planned to do some mediation and reach out and wait for his Lion to come to him he didn't realize he could talk to his Lion and go to them. He had hear them as Lance described, but he assumed it was a one-sided conversation. Knowing this would easily help him block out Zarkon.

“It does. Thank you Lance yo–,” But anything else Shiro was going to say dies in his throat as he almost swallows his own tongue and tightly grips his pants legs in shock, and to stop the urge to reach out and touch.

Lance comes out from behind the screen exchanging his usual octahedron green earrings for the hoops and two smaller clips further up his now rounded ear. His circlet was also gone making him look truly human.

Lance was wearing short black boots that were almost look combat in style paired with high navy stockings the stopped in the middle of his thighs with a variety of constellations Shiro couldn't place. Lance's dark grey jean-like shorts started just an inch or two above the stockings and stopped at his waist with the pale blue white shirt Shiro had seen earlier - but was much tighter than he thought - tucked into the shorts. Over that he wore a grey blue varsity-like [jacket](https://www.roblox.com/library/864925433/Altean-Lance) with transparent sleeves. This allows Shiro to see a second more fitted black jacket that looked like the of an activewear jacket, thumb holes and all, being worn underneath. It peaks out from beneath the larger one when Lance moves to pull out the hood attached to it since it was stuck between the two.

Lance reminds him of some of the teen girls and effeminate guys from his home city that would wear something similar. But Lance had the lean muscles of an athlete and his outfit showed it off giving it a completely different look. Instead of slightly swimming in the outfit and looking cute it look like everything was perfectly tailored for him making him look sexy.

_And his stockings. God, he's mostly leg now. I couldn't take my eyes off him even if I tried._

“So how do I look,” The prince ask as he spins in a circle with a sway in his hips, “Less royal? More human?”

“Definitely. You look amazing.” Just flows out of his mouth before he can stop himself.

Lance’s now only blue eyes go wide before looking away, his skin getting darker around his cheeks and making the freckles that more prominent.

“Well thank you. It's nice to know I still look great.” Lance mumbles like he wants to sound proud, but he can't.

“You've always been great Lance.” Shiro finds himself saying, again with no control over his mouth - simultaneously regretting and not caring a damn that he spoke his mind.

After spending so many nights talking, training or on breaks, and of course all their battles Shiro knows Lance is a great person and it's sad to see him still doubt himself when he has so much going for him. The incognito prince turns back around to face him, but they only stare at each other. Shiro opens his mouth to say something else, but doesn't know what and realizes he needs to leave before he says anything else odd that could create an awkwardness between them.

Standing up from the bed in a rush, “I should go.”

He only makes it a few feet away before his name is called out.

“Shiro!” He wants to keep going, but he stops and partially turns towards the prince, “You don't have to worry. They'll want to form a stronger bond with you because you trust them.”

Shiro’s lips turn up despite himself as he sees Lance grin an encouraging smile at him. He continues he way to the bay a little lighter and more confident in creating a deeper bond.

 

"Hello? Back passengers? Can you hear me?" Coran chimes over the internal speakers.

"Oh, it's so comfy up here. Extra leg-room, heated seats! Oh, man!" Lance even adds in an extra groan of satisfaction as he rest his feet on the dashboard and bends back.

He tries not to smile wickedly as he hears Hunk's mumbles of 'Stupid Lance. Stupid shotgun. Stupid royalty' from the back.

Coran pays almost zero mind before telling them how weapons and communications are a no-go and how they would be wearing disguises onto the moon because of the high danger factor, which if Lance had known he wouldn't have gone through the trouble of finding something to wear. But when they arrive Lance knew he had made the right decision in dressing himself in comparison to how Coran dressed them.

"Uh Coran? This Unilu swap meet looks an awful lot like a regular mall."

Which Pidge is totally right.

It looks a lot more square in architecture then the ones he remembered on Altea, but it was absolutely a mall. But Lance kept quiet because he didn't want to crush Coran’s spirit of adventure.

"It does seem to be a little cleaner than I remember," Coran admits, but it does nothing to quell his excitement, "Still, be vigilant. The Unilu are cut-throat wheeler-dealers. So keep your hands on your coin satchels."

"My satchels are empty." Hunk offers.

"Good."

"Let's just get this over with." Keith groans, his moodiness radiating off him.

"Yes, right. Everyone, let's fan out, except for you A’lanor you’ll be staying with –"

Lance just gives Coran 40% of his baby Chirape eyes and he is done.

"Number four," He says hurriedly as points in Pidge's direction as he spins away from his deadly eyes, "Call every five -"

"Ten." Lance cuts in smoothly with a royal smile.

"Eight." Coran tries again, but is clearly distracted.

"Ten."

"Every ten doboshes. Now we need to search the area for Teludav lenses. We'll meet by the giant ticking clock here in one varga. Don't be late, and try to blend in." Saying the last bit in a rush.

They watch Coran hurry off as he starts down the escalator only to shimmy against the walls out of sight. Lance looks to his friends and gestures to himself,

"So no?"

"No." 

* * *

"Can I interest you in the latest Earth fashions?" A strangely dressed Roswelian asks them.

Lance's curiosity was hooked at the word 'Earth' as he turns to see if anything in this store could teach him more about his new friends.

"Lance, come on! We have to be back at the ticking clock in a half hour." Pidge gripes behind him as she follows him in.

"But Pidge look at all this Earth stuff this Roswelian is selling!" Lance spins around, arms wide as he gestures to everything in the store only for something sparkly at the counter to catch his eye, "Oh this [necklace](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_9g1xXeNqBDQ/TROv9qF3x2I/AAAAAAAAVlE/yBvS9nuArTE/s1600/CHANEL%2BPEARL%2BGOLD%2BCHAIN%2BLONG%2BNECKLACE%2BCLOSE%2BUP%2BC.%2B80S.JPG) would be perfect for Allura’s high counsel. Or her favorite royal ball ballgown. Do you really wear these things?" He asks very intrigued by the jewelry.

"No, it's something my grandparents did though. The 1980's was a time of bright colors and geometric shapes and the 1990's was of the grunge." Pidge explains lightly.

"Grunge?" Lance echoes, but Pidge just shrugs with a equally confused look as well, "Interesting."

"Yeah," Pidge answers before turning to leave, "but we're supposed to be looking for the Teludav lenses and you're looking in the one store we know for certain won't have — Oh, my gosh!" She screams before jumping over to the display at the front of the store, "Is that Killbot Phantasm 1!? The first Journey to the Depths of the Demonsphere? Oh! Mercury Gameflux Two! With the original power glove that gives you infinite lives if you touch the index finger to the pinky! We have to have this! How much is this?" Pidge cries out as she turns to the Roswelian with an excited and giddy grin.

"Twelve hundred GAC."

"Is that a lot?" Pidge looks over to him with a heartbroken look.

"Well, considering we came here thinking we could trade and we can't, meaning we have zero GAC, I'm going to say that's a lot."

Which was really an odd concept to Lance and something he never thought he'd say especially after their very unexceptionably lame bank heist. They were practically rolling in money again and they brought none of it.

"We're gonna find some money. Come on!" Pidge says dangerously low before turning to the Roswelian and saying worried, "Don't sell that!" Before grabbing his wrist and running from the store.

As Lance runs with Pidge its nice to see her get excited about something else. Don't get him wrong, the stuff she comes up with is amazing and she always looks so proud. But it's always for something to do with their war or her family. Lance knows Pidge can be a bit – a lot – of a sassy downer, but he's also found her to be adorable and willing to try new things. He actually talked her into doing Kriyī, or yoga as she called it, with him because of how tense she was and because of her mumbled complaints at breakfast of her shoulders and back hurting.

Though being slumped over your machine would do that to you.

His first thought was to help loosen her up, but soon it became his and her time to just talk about fun or serious topics. In his opinion she always looked calmer after it, regardless of the subject they talked about, and Lance just wanted to see that relaxation on her face more often. And if that meant helping her find enough GAC in strange mall he would do it.

"Lance! Look a fountain! And it has to have coins in it!” Pidge yells in his ear before taking off towards it pulling her shoes and socks off in one go and hoping in to wade in the shallow waters to collect her change for her prize.

Lance just shakes his head at the hilarity of the situation as he walks over to the sizable fountain and sits on the ledge to take off his jackets, shoes, and stockings. Thankfully he decided to keep the two coin satchels from his costume earlier. They would need a lot of coins and he needed extra for Allura's necklace.

 

This wasn't the best day of Shiro's life of being in space and fighting an evil empire. He had hoped to say in and create a stronger bond with his Lion. He was — the Black Lion was showing him their birth, history, and incredible powers — Just not in the safety of the Castle, but in the middle of space! And that's when Zarkon made an appearance in the worst way. 

"I've got you now, Paladin!" His voice bounces through the cockpit as Shiro sees his worst nightmare — Zarkon in the Black Lion again. 

A blast from his Lion's mouth canon throws him out into a starlit void. Where nebalous clouds and galaxies moved and the view is endless.

_The astral plane!_

Lance had told him that he sometimes goes into the Blue Lion's consciousness to talk and relax with her and that it was an endless shallow sea.

_This must be the Black Lion's._

Finally landing in a rough three point Shiro looks up to sneer at Zarkon as he stands across from him.

"You are a fool to face me here. When you die in this realm, your body dies as well. And then I will take control of the Black Lion." He announces before attacking Shiro with a kick to the chest. 

He just barely blocks it, but flies backwards for what seems like an indefinite amount of feet before Zarkon appears and slams him to the side. Shiro is able to get his footing as he slides back and charges the tyrant pushing him back, but just before he can get in a good hit to his unprotected abdomen he disappears only to appear to Shiro's side as he elbows him hard in the back, slamming him into the ground ,and launching him into the air. What happens next is so fast that Shiro is sure he blacked out for a bit, as he doesn't remember being on the ground or standing in a Shiro-sized crater. 

Shiro looks up and readies himself for the next attack, but Zarkon glowers at him with contempt before continuing his monologuing from before Shiro's blackout.

"With the Lion, I will destroy the rest of your insignificant team and the Princess. And I will claim the Prince for myself."

Shiro clenches his fists tighter at that. Keith told him what he had overheard at the moon base when he had saved Lance. He knew Zarkon approached Lance yesterday, but why was left unanswered. And also left so many other questions to be answered too. But right here and now, the fear of Lance at Zarkon's mercy and Shiro's own personal feelings for the prince broiled Shiro up on the inside.

"What do you want with him?!" He out right growls.

"His magic and connection with all the Lions will allow me to create Voltron fully, making my empire truly unstoppable!" He boast loudly and leaving him open for attack.

"You will _never_ have him!" Shiro screams before running head on at Zarkon, fueled by his rage and fear, activating his arm again for a hopefully damaging blow.

They trade punches, kicks, and blocks before Zarkon gets the upper hand again, literally.

"You could never take my place as the head of Voltron." Grabbing Shiro's fist and starts crushing it before using it as leverage to kick him back.

Sliding to a stop, "You can't pilot the Black Lion after everything you've done! You can never lead Voltron again! You're no Paladin!" Shiro shouts, his voice echoing and hitting Zarkon were it hurts. 

Growling like a feral animal Zarkon launches himself at Shiro again, "You have no idea how to command a weapon like this!"

"No one commands the Black Lion!"

And Shiro stands his ground. He won't leave Black to themselves, he won't let his team become causalities of this war, and he won't leave Lance unprotected.

He knows he tells his team to never taunt the enemy for the backlash it can cause, but the sliver of smug joy of pissing off the wrongful ruler of the universe does make Shiro proud, especially as the air in his lungs grows less and less knowing he has stuck a cord.

"You dare lecture me?! Do you think the Black Lion would allow such a feeble creature to pilot it? Only the powerful can command it." Zarkon spouts as he close his fist around his throat tighter.

With only enough air left of a small declaration, Shiro chances it if only to haunt the Emperor, "You've forgotten what's most important between a Lion and its Paladin. It's not about power. It's about the bond, putting your faith in one another as you work as a team, earning each other's trust."

"Trust has nothing to do with it. The Lion is mine, forever!" And as Zarkon crushes his windpipe and the void starts to fade as Shiro's eyes roll up in his head, but he swears he almost hears a loud purr, a defiant one at that, before all the pressure on his throat and around him is gone.

Gasping and shooting up from the headrest Shiro looks around the cockpit and is relieved.

"Did you just save me?" He asks gratefully and gets an answering affirmative growl, "Thank you. Let's go home," Then endless vacuum of space bleeds away to show the bay. Shiro gasps as he takes in all that just happened, "We never left. Ha! I guess Lance was right, I just needed to trust you more.” Shiro shakes his head in disbelief.

And then instead of his usual 60:40 surety of what Black is feeling he is certain of the happiness, protectiveness, and trust streaming through the bond and around him. And hearing his Lion purr at the prince's name has a short chuckle escaping Shiro, "Yeah, I feel the same way too."

Settling back into the pilot chair Shiro looks around the cockpit and he can hear them rumbling around him and feels the pressure of surprise from them when Shiro asks his next question.

"Now, what else should I know?"

The response is immediate as he is thrown back into the void as his Lion enlightens him.

 

All in all it was a pretty good day. They got Pidge a game system, Allura a necklace, Coran got the lenses and from Hunk’s heralding story he got to be a chef for a day. Keith didn't really have anything to say besides that the sales people were the same as on Earth, just more handsy.

“So what was your favorite thing you prepared today?” Lance ask looking up at Hunk from where he was resting his head on his thigh.

The smack to the head that he took at the end of the trip during their getaway wasn't bad, it just hurt to sit up at the moment so he took up Hunk’s offer to be a pillow while giving his seat to a unbelievably happy Pidge.

“Oh it had to be the palmagoren fillet it had this tangy sweetness I can't even describe...”

Lance didn't mean to fall asleep, but the way Hunk talked was just too soothing and soon he was out.

* * *

"We got our lenses!" Coran announces as he walks onto the bridge triumphant.

"Excellent!” His sister turns around, her mice falling out of her very done up hair, “Now, we can get the Teludav up and — Lance! Oh my goodness what happened?!"

He had changed back hoping his regular hair would hide the enormous and totally unnecessary bandage Coran had made him wear, but to no avail it seems. Snatching it off his forehead he shoves it into a pocket before walking up to Allura.

"Fear not. It is only a scratch,” He says with a deep bow, “Regardless my dearest sister I present you with this!" Holding out the gold and spherical designed necklace for approval.

"Lance! Oh it's so large and shiny and matches my counsel dress! And my favorite ballgown!"

"My thoughts exactly." Lance says proudly.

"Oh I love it." She squeals before taking it and putting it on, "How much did you bargain for it?" She asks curiously.

"Nothing," As Lance let his rueful smile slide from his face, "Because I waded through a fountain getting GAC with Pidge so we could buy a game system because we went to a mall. Not an amazingly shifty lawless moon, where bar fights and back alley deals happen. We went to a mall Allura. A mall!"

"So we could have gone and gotten the mice accessories and cute lodgings?" Allura turns a bland stare coupled with the fakest smile ever at Coran and the mice fold their little paws at him too.

"Aaaahhhhh." Coran just stares open mouth from being stared down. 

"Where's Shiro?" Keith speaks up as he looks around the room and taking the heat off of Coran.

With a small smile Lance answers, "Making a new friend."

Just at that moment Shiro walks in looking more refreshed than when he last saw him.

"Hello Shiro! Have you succeeded in becoming the Black Lion's friend?" Allura calls out as he walks closer to the group.

"Yes." Shiro says confidently before he turns and raises a confused eyebrow at him, "Is that a cow?" 

"Mm-hmm. At least that what Hunk said it was. I'm not sure what we can do with it though. But it's name is Kaltenecker." Lance supplies happily.

Cow moos in response, but remains stationary. Shiro opens his mouth, like he was going to address this situation, but reconsiders and leaves it alone.

"We need to get moving. We're headed for the Blade of Marmora's headquarters." Shiro says instead, but still eyeing his new pet.

"I'll install our new lens and plot a course." Coran says quickly before rushing off the bridge.

"I'm gonna hook up the video game Lance and I bought." Pidge cheerfully, raising her game over her head.

"I am excited to see this video game too."

"Where can we... How do..." Pidge looks at the box then out into the expanses of space and in a cry similar to a dying wallowfly screams, "No! Were in space! And space doesn't believe in auxiliary cords!" Before flopping onto the floor in a small puddle of sadness.

Everyone looks to each other in dismay before they start to silently communicate through facial expressions and gestures about what to do with Pidge. Soon all eyes are focused on Keith who signs angrily at them and shakes his head 'no', but ends up slowly approaching their smallest member anyway.

Taking a knee, and doing the most lackluster pat-on-the-back Lance had ever witness, Keith tries to comfort her, "Hey. Hey Pidge. It's a game."

The resulting whine is so pitiful that Keith snatches his hand back and looks to them with an uncomfortable look of pure unadulterated fear.

_By the Ancients! He's the quiznaking worst at this._

Everyone stares at Keith in shock, confusion, and pure exasperation as he, Hunk, and Allura shake their heads 'no' and start miming out how to be nicer, while Shiro is messaging the bridge of his nose with a disgruntled look. Luckily Keith tries again.

"Don't worry. I'm sure you can rig something up. Maybe with those extra pieces from the other moon. You've done it tons of times before and -"

Pidge shoots up so fast that everyone takes a weary step back as she has her manic inventing face on. She looks down at Keith, still clutching the game machine in her hands, and shakes his shoulders somehow, "You're right! You're a genius you mullet-head emo angel! Give me 10 doboshes and meet me in the west hangar!" Pidge calls out to the rest of them before stacking everything in her arms and taking Keith with her too.

Hunk and him wave, unhelpfully, as she drags him down to her lair. Its quiet for only a tick before all of them are laughing, or in Shiro's case trying to stop smiling, at Keith's fate. Wiping a tear from her eye Allura giggles questioningly, "Well that was something, but...um what will you be doing with the... caw Lance?"

"It's uh it's a cow and you could use it to make milk and then you can make ice cream or milkshakes or root beer float, which requires ice cream which comes from milk." Hunk lists off joyfully getting this glazed look in his eyes.

"I don't know what any of that is beside it has to be food because it's the only other thing you get excited about." Lance teases him with a nudge to his side.

Hunk nudges him back and soon they start a little shoving war. Shiro shakes his head and folds his arms at their antics, "Well I'm glad we had a productive day though we should find a place to hold ..."

"Kaltenecker." They supply as he and Hunk lean into each other trying to move the other.

"Right," Shiro draws out the word before continuing, "And then we can start finding things that can keep her healthy."

Lance perks up at that coming up with the best spot for the large Earth creature, but in doing so he moves away from Hunk and without a counterweight he falls over. Helping his favorite human up he turns back to Allura and Shiro who are sharing a look that only an older siblings could have.

"I know just the place."

"Good, I should go down and tell Coran I'm not really upset with him and help with the repairs too."

Leaving, Hunk and Allura go down to the Teludav to help Coran install the new lenses and re-calibrate the beam generator, while he and Shiro walk down to the Koelqwk holo-stables to get Kaltenecker settled in their new home.

"So you know how to take care of a cow? Wait, how do you know it's a she?" Lance asks as he leans on her back as they wait for the elevator to take them to one of the lower levels.

Shiro smiles secretly and says, "I'll explain later. But the taking care part I have one uncle, who's a farmer, and he would have me working on his farm with him and my cousins during my summers as a kid. I can help you too." He say as he helps guide Kaltenecker out of the elevator and showing off what he already knew.

"Really? Thanks! Ha, take that Allura I have a useful – well semi-useful pet too now!"

He ends up yelling at the ceiling and hears a snort. Looking back at Shiro with a smirk, Lance sees him holding his prosthetic hand in front of his mouth, but can see the crinkles around his eyes and the lightness in them letting Lance know he's smiling.

"Is this a competition?" Shiro ask lightly.

"Well it wasn't until you just said it, but now it is and I think I'm winning." He declares.

Answering Shiro with a smirk and fake bravado causes a unique event to happen. Shiro laughing out loud. Its such a rare sound that Lance is sure he's only heard it once before. Usually it was a short chuckle or a snort like before, but never like this. Its deep and vibrant, and makes you want to laugh along too. It just fills Lance's stomach with warm soft wiggly feeling as he watches the joy in Shiro and wants to bottle up this moment forever.

_He's just so sweet. I want to make him laugh more often._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I feel horrible our golden boy Shiro never has any family mentioned so I'm going to make him one because he deserves it. They will be mention later.  
> 


	15. Castle Vlog (Pidge)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The master becomes the student.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's short, but I've been waiting to write about Pidge for awhile.

It was finally a quiet day on the Castle of Lions and Pidge was not going to let it pass her by. She still had four days of uninterrupted peace left so she planned to get some personal work done before vegging out and playing Demonsphere until her eyes burn. It took her and Keith, with Hunk and Lance when they finally showed up, three whole hours before they were able to turn it on and a extra half hour to figure out how to make saving permanent. They had tried to play there and then, but their adventure must have wiped them out because one second she was walking down a dark cave only for the next moment to be looking at the ceiling sometime later. Turning around Pidge saw she had cuddled up into Hunk's left side, while surprisingly Keith was wrapped up in Hunk's right with his arms crossed while he slept. Lance was missing, but he was definitely the one to threw the blanket over them.

But now Pidge was in the zone.

After an actual goodnight's rest she got away to her hanger – because everyone knows it her's now – and was working in blessed creative silence with only the mental happiness and curiosity of her Lion in the form of nature sounds filling her head. Pidge takes a quick look to see that that Green is 'playing' with her junk floof pets, Tesla and Faraday, who were floating around and inspecting her. She would turn her massive head a bit and the floofs would sigh and gasp before floating around to the other side to see if the Lion would follow them. Shaking her head with a smile she goes back to her work only for it to be interrupted again.

"Heya Pidge. The tiny dance queen. My honorary little sister. Whatcha up to?"

Her lips twitch at Lance's titles for her, but she doesn't look up from the board she's sundering.

"I'm trying to figure out if I can convert this processor that I put in for the camo to be smaller to add more capacity to another part of the energy source to run it for a longer time and make it stronger to pass through more heavily patrol areas." She answers rather proud of herself.

"That's - that's actually really neat and it was something I understood so double plus."

Pidge feels her brow furrow at that. Lance was one of the only people okay with her taking apart the ship and her Lion. He even helped her with some of her ideas with gathering pieces to use and explaining their uses. He also knew a fair amount of the ship and helped fix it up with Coran and Hunk, so she still couldn't fathom why he was down on himself about this.

"Yeah, so did you need something because I was..." She decides to segway the conversation instead of interrogating him again about his self-doubt. Again.

"Oh! Right," He stands up taller and gets this nervous look on his face as he starts to card his left hand through his hair, "Well you tried to start reading Altean and it really helped us out a few quintants ago. And since we're cruising for another four and if you weren't too busy or wanted too I was going to offer you me — as a tutor if you wanted to keep learning." He gets quieter as he goes on, now fidgeting with his earring cuff as he looks anywhere but her.

"You want to help me?" Pidge asks very shocked.

Because they never offered Pidge assumed that the Altean language was sort of sacred and only certain people i.e. Alteans could speak it and everyone else wasn't allow. That is was the Alteans' own odd cultural taboo thing like the Americans' thumbs up in different countries or saying the Japanese's first names.

"Yeah. Yes — I mean I'm sure Allura is better with the rules, but I can talk with you and my handwriting is way better than hers, but if you do want to learn then you don't have to keep doing little experiments on pieces that burn or cut you trying to figure it out since I guess the little holo-book I gave you hasn't been the best."

Pidge glances down at her callous and scared covered fingers before hiding them in her pockets. She was constantly fascinated by the Castle and the other technology they encountered that she just couldn't calm down. In her rush to know how it work she would open them up and test their systems without concern for herself sometimes. Also the leftover fear from Earth of someone judging her and her love for science still lingered. Pidge knew no one cared, even encouraged her and turned to her first with some of their problems so there was nothing to be afraid of. And if Pidge had any questions she could ask the Alteans and they be nothing but helpful, but that little bit of fear and a lot of stubbornness stopped her. Yet she knew Allura, Coran, and Lance wouldn't mind helping her out if they weren't busy. Lance would definitely make time even if he was busy with something else. He was just so shy even though he acted like he wasn't, Pidge had seen the way his face went through a split second of fear sometimes after he spoke up with his opinion. Maybe those stories about being royalty being super stressful were true. And if so Lance was hiding behind it pretty well.

"If you want it's just something I can do." Lance continues looking down at her board.

"Thanks Lance. I'd liked that. How's tomorrow at 1100 hours or as you say, vargas sound?"

He looks up and is smiling widely making Pidge smirk back at him.

"Awesome. I'll see you tomorrow. We'll meet in the library on level twenty-three." He say happily, but the mood was soured by what the prince says.

"You. You have a library?" Pidge says dangerously low as she narrows her eyes at Lance.

"Yes we have a library it's a castle after all. Didn't you read the ooohhh." 

"Yeah. Ooh." She deadpans.

"Sooo we have a library, I think you'll enjoy it and until you can read there's a read aloud option for the books. Plus, when you do well on your first lesson I could show you the uniulrium spectra as a treat." Lance tries again, most of his words being followed by nervous giggles.

As she watches him look anywhere but her as he tries to appease her and Pidge has to fight to hold her unimpressed glare instead of laughing at him.

Nodding gravely she simply says, "See you then."

"Will do," And Lance quickly turns about-face and makes for the hangar doors before stopping and turning around, "Oh and Pidge, good luck on your project."

"Thanks." She says truthfully as she waves him off to get back to work.

"And before I forget," Rolling her eyes half-heartedly as she looks back over to Lance, "If you aren't in bed by ten I'm telling Allura."

Dramatically sighing she grumbles, "Get out of here."

"I'm just thinking about our shortest member and how less sleep stuns gro-"

She lightly tosses a wrench near Lance, who joking duck out of the way before leaving with his laughter following him down the hall.

 

The library was fantastic and Lance got a punch in the side for not showing her this sooner. It honestly looked liked a futuristic version of the library from the Beauty and the Beast live-action movie from the 2010's. It was a library Pidge still aspired to own and would have one day.

But what she was there for was just as amazing.

Being able to be here in her position and be the first human to learn an alien anguage was phenomenal and one that Pidge took great delight in. Funnily enough she recognized a few grammatical instances that were similar to other Earth languages. Altean looks like that of Eastern cultures characters. Only so many letters to create a word and if one was going to put two hard sounding letters together they had to draw an extra line or dot over the second one to indicate pronunciation. 

But surprisingly it had a much smaller alphabet like that of Latin based languages. There are only twenty-two letters! And because of that were some combinations of consonants that Pidge wasn't used to that were abound in Altean as well as their odd love for what Pidge could only denote as the letter 'Q'. Honestly there were so many words that had no vowel sounds! But at the end of the first lesson and Pidge starting her exercises in the beginner's testpad Lance had found she saw that while the written words looked like Korean or Japanese, it grammatically followed the rules of some western European languages.

The adjectives went after the nouns they were describing and there were article for objects like chair or table, even for the time of day like morning or afternoon. The worst was the conjunctions and conjugation. Conjunctions were all symbols that would merge the words on either side of it together. And conjugations were everywhere and for every verb, screwing with the pronouns if it wasn't in present tense. But Pidge knew that now and worked through her questions confidently.

Which is why as she stares down at her testpad and the three wrong answers she was arguably confused.

"How is it wrong? I'm sure I checked it twice before hand." As three of the seventeen questions blinked red at the incorrect response.

"It's your first time only after two hours, you're bound to get somethings wrong," Lance says encouragingly as he looks over her shoulder, "It looks like you forgot the 'and' in the sentence."

Pidge thought she had put the 'and' in the incredibly short sentence, but when it was pointed out it was clear that she hadn't, but instead wrote 'yet'.

"ARUGH!" She shouts as she shakes her fists at the ceiling.

_Stupid conjunctions!_

Dropping her head onto the table with a thud she groans in anger and in pain. But Lance, forever the mom friend, pats her back lightly.

"Don't you worry your giant brain Pidget pie. You'll get it in no time."

Turning to the left to look at him, "Don't you mean pigeon pie?" Pidge ask flatly.

Lance blinks at her and seems to be looking more confused by the second.

"What's a pigeon?" He finally asks.

Pidge opens her mouth, but stops herself short of saying anything, "Nevermind. Can you show me how to draw the conjunctions again?"

With a sweet smile Lance slides his stylus and pad over to them, "Of course."

As Pidge watches Lance describe, in his own silly way, how to draw the best conjunctions symbols she grins secretly at her sweet alien friend. She'll probably teach Lance some Earth idioms, animals, and slang later as her way of giving back, plus she doesn't want him to be embarrassed when they go back and he tries to talk with other humans. She is his honorary little sister after all and she the only other one allowed to embarrass him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uniulrium spectra = it's like a planetarium for the known universe, like on the bridge, but way prettier with more information that basic facts.
> 
> So Altean looks like a character language like Japanese or Chinese and the only other language I know is French so I'm going to use mostly French rules to describe placement and pronunciation.


	16. Castle Vlog (Hunk)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Milkshakes are great for first dates or other romantic outings, but Hunk is pretty sure Lance and Shiro's spin on the timeless date idea is just a tad bit ridiculous while being all around cute.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also if you haven't noticed I changed part of my username, mostly because I thought it was a bit lame and my youngest brother has been complaining about it since I got on ao3.

Cows are the best domestic creature ever, hands down, at least in Hunk's opinion. They can make food and are food. What other animal has that type of duality?

Ignoring chickens though.

For ...reasons.

Personal reasons.

They know what they did and they're not invited to this party.

But ignoring fowl thoughts Hunk was determined to start making some ice cream and other Earth desserts – but mostly ice cream for milkshakes – because when they stopped off to get more hay for Kalternecker at a planet with nothing, but types of grass they had made their four day voyage six, adding two more days of travel. Now they had three more days left and Hunk was going to enjoy them to the fullest by going into a baking frenzy. It would calm his constantly frayed nerves and everyone would get a sweet treat. Plus, he'll be able to make a different set of desserts for Keith so he wouldn't eat anyone's shares anymore.

Finally, the elevator opens on level seventeen and Hunk hurries down to where the only person in space who knows how to take care of a cow is. Walking into the training deck he sees Shiro in the right corner. The right corner stored the weight and strength equipment in the walls and underneath the interactive room – or hellscape as Hunk personally called it. Hunk wasn't even sure how to get most of the equipment out that he could see right now - not that he wanted too either. Though it wasn't a surprise to see Shiro exercising, it was probably one of the first things he asked about that wasn't Galra related. He seemed to always be doing something mobile, from working out to even wandering the halls, always in motion. Coming down from one of his pull-up reps Hunk speaks up so he doesn't startle Shiro and he'll just let go of the bar and not strain any muscles.

"Shiro, I'm glad I found you." Hunk speaks up and waits for him to drop all the way down.

Instead of stopping Shiro just turns himself around and keeps going, only now he's giving Hunk his full attention.

_Lance would kill to see this._

"Hi Hunk. What do you need?" Shiro asks not even sounding out of breath as he keeps going.

_Ha! Show off._

"So we still have some free time before we get to the Blade of Marmora's HQ and I was thinking it would be a great chance to get some milk so I can make us all some desserts like cakes, or ice cream, or real cookies this time."

"And you need my expertise." Shiro says with a smile.

"Yeah, knowing how and actually having experience with a cow is two different things." Hunk says putting his hands on his hips and swaying back and forth, "Coran helped me find some buckets already so I just need you to show me how."

Dropping from the bar he walks over to one of the weight benches to grab a towel to wipe off the bit of sweat on his brow.

"We could go now since you're dressed for it and I'm kind of dressed for it too." Shiro gestures to himself, which was clad in a black elbow-length muscle shirt and grey sweatpants.

Hunk had changed his usually clothes for some khaki shorts and a yellow t-shirt, not wanting to make a mess of his only Earth clothes, despise the replicas he made of it. The similarity comforted him, so sue him.

After their first adventure into space and their fight with a Galra cruiser they were all dead tired. Or at least he was since he was the only one to have pjs on the next day they were rudely awaken by a fake alarm. When Lance showed them their rooms that night everyone was quick to leave for them leaving him and the prince awkwardly outside of his room. Lance was nice enough to give him a tour and how to get the Castle to make him clothes and made him some super soft yellow pjs. Hunk usually only cried over food, amazing machinery, or cute animals and babies, but for once he cried over clothes and really meant it. The Castle could make really simple single color clothes and as Pidge found out bags and shoes, but that took longer than the standard twenty minutes. It wasn't anything elaborate like Lance's clothes, which Hunk had seen when he had gotten an impromptu tour of his massive closet. He's super sure he saw what looked like silver stitched into every other thread of an outfit Lance had nonchalantly said was garden party outfit.

"Thanks Shiro."

"No problem. I've been at this for fifteen minutes so I should stop anyway." Shiro says with a refreshed smile.

"Yes, only fifteen minutes such a short time to be doing pull-ups. Usually I would strive for double that." Hunk commentates as Shiro collects his water bottle and throws the towel around his shoulders.

Shrio shakes his head before walking over to the wall, "Of course, a half an hour at least keeps these guns looking great." Shiro jokes lightly before knocking on it four times.

At that all the equipment starts to fold back into the wall and Hunk can't help but whistle at watching a system that works on sounds or possibly vibrations to an exact spot and likely the right number of sounds to enact its protocol.

_This ship is too flipping cool._

Shiro just smirks at him and leaves for the door prompting Hunk to hurry after him. Hunk was about to ask Shiro if the deck did anything else that was connected to sound or pressure, but something else catches his eye.

"How has the eyeliner not come off or smeared?" Hunk leans into Shiro's personal space as he looks at his eyes.

Shiro raises his hands and shrugs, "Aliens. I guess they need to look good during any situation."

"Never know when you have to fight the Galra at four and be on the runaway at five." Hunk adds as they step into the elevator.

"Yeah. It's a hassle, but I think I handle it well."

And when Shiro raises his hand to rest it against his forehead like a femme fatale Hunk has to harshly swallow his giggles which only makes him cough them out a second later. Hunk leans into the elevator wall as he catches his breath and Shiro is nice enough to stops acting out and rest against the other wall.

"You know I have to use special wipes if I want to take it off?" Shiro speaks up as Hunk starts to stand up straight.

Looking over and thinking about what he said Hunk stares wide-eyed as he asks, "How long have you had it on?"

"Three days." And the smugness and accomplishment in that smirk has Hunk shaking his head in disbelief. 

"That's amazing," Hunk says finally before tacking on, "Very out of this world."

The pun makes Shiro roll his eyes and cover his face with his free hand, but Hunk knows he appreciates it. Growing up with two older sisters and then getting younger cousins Hunk was used to the ridiculous jokes and pun-ridden banter that came with having a large family. Shiro understood it too also coming from a large family. While Shiro himself was a single child, his mom and dad had other brothers and sisters and it left Shiro with twelve cousins all around his age. They had found out this similarity when Shiro helped him take the macaroons and popped Lasut seeds to the sleepover. Hunk was reminiscing about his cousins and sisters all staying up late eating popcorn and watching ridiculous pre-teen shows to laugh at the bad plots. Shiro looked surprised before saying how he and his cousins did that too with some animes or k-dramas when they were all able to get together. Since then they happen to trade a story or two in passing that allowed them to understand each other on a certain level the others couldn't get or knew about. They weren't trying to be secretive with their friendship it just seemed the only time they were together for long periods of time was when no one else was bothering them.

"So what's first on Hunk's treats agenda." Shiro asks as they walk to the holo-stables that was holding Kalternecker.

"Oh I'm definitely making milkshakes first! No doubt about it." Hunk answers waving his hands in a 'no' motion, "They are the best things because you can add fruits or candies to it and it will still taste amazing. Perfect for experimenting in space." 

Just talking about the ensuing baking typhoon has Hunk just as excited about starting as he was for his semester's exogeology engineering project, which was for designing ways to not only collect twenty different samples in four types of terrains, but also getting the probe back without cosmic radiation affecting them.

Shiro looks over as he palms the doors' opening mechanism, but he looks supportive in Hunk's decision, "Ambitious on the first go since you don't have any ice cream or milk. I like it. But you're going to need a lot of milk to test this." 

"Don't worry. I got everything ready yesterday. Just teach me your ways of the mysterious farming." Hunk says in a horrible British accent and a lofty tone.

Shiro chuckles and walks towards Kalternecker, "Come along young padawan you are ready to begin training." He says in an equally bad British accent.

Hunk laughs and high-fives Shiro for understanding the horrible joke and gets to work.

* * *

"Hey Hunk are you – What are you doing?"

Hunk looks up to see Lance slide over to the counter. He was in the middle of cutting up some of the alien fruit they had been given by the Oklari in a way of thanks – the non-transforming tech fruit – so he could easily blend it with the syrup of another fruit that reminded him of a mango to make something like a pineapple-papaya milkshake that Iolana loves. So far seven of his eleven mini-shakes had worked out and now Hunk had a perfect test-taster.

"I'm making milkshakes. What are you up to?" Hunk answers before going right back to chopping the alien pineapple.

"Milkshakes? What are those?" Lance asks curiously as he sits himself across from Hunk.

"They're fluffy thick clouds of flavor explosions. Wait right here! I'll finish this one for you." He says excitedly.

Lance leans back and sits quietly with a smile on his face as he watches. Hunk finishes his dicing and throws the fruit on the skillet with some water and drizzles something like sugar and a pinch of what has to be like cinnamon and nutmeg in a single powdery blend. As that sizzles he goes back to the refrigerator and gets out the pitcher of regular milk and the pecan tasting ice cream he made with the first batch of milk again. Apparently what he thought was vanilla had a sweet nutty taste, but it worked for most of his creations so far. Scooping out the ice cream into a large glass – feeling confident in himself – he adds just a half of cup of milk, adds the syrup, and another scoop of ice cream. He gets the mixer and stirs it for two minutes before pouring the other fruit and all its juices into the last half cup of the glass and mixing it again. Adding a straw to it he slides it over to Lance with a nervous grin and waits.

Lance looks at the mixing colors on the side of the glass before drinking some and his ears immediately perk up before bending straight up against his head.

"Hunk this is delicious! I've never drank anything this, this, this fantastic! It is a flavorful explosion!" Lance compliments him as he stares at him, eyes shining with happiness.

"Well I don't want to toot my own horn, but — Hey don't drink it so fast you'll... get a.... brainfreeze?"

But as Lance clears the glass and Hunk waits for the resulting whines of pain, but nothing happens. He even looks up all innocent with a huge grin and holds out the glass for more. 

_Maybe Alteans don't get brainfreeze. Though I'd have to have Allura and Coran try some too to see if that's true. Note to self; test hypothesis of Altean brainfreeze after alliance meeting._

Hunk slides over the mini-shakes that he knows taste good to Lance with a small spoon and watches him eat for a bit before cleaning up for the day. He had written down the recipes so he wouldn't have to test anything for a bit and started to risen out plates, bowls, and other containers while putting other things away. After Lance finishes up all seven he helps risen out other dishes too before asking,

"How in the galaxy did you do this? And what was that white stuff you put in too? Both of them?!" Lance rattles of questions so quick that Hunk just gives him a blanket answer.

"You can thank Kalternecker for everything." He says with a laugh.

Lance stands up straighter at that and surprised, "That's right! I was going to go visit her today — well actually I was looking for you or Shiro to help me go over what I needed to do to take care of her. But I can't believe she can do this." He says astonished.

"Well you're in luck because me and Shiro are in the same place — well not now, but when I'm down... there — just follow me I'll explain when we get there."

When they get to the stables Shiro is hidden by Kalternecker's girth, except for his shoes on either side of the bucket. They walk over, which Lance get there first - no surprise - and opens his mouth to say 'hi' or something, but stops before his usual jovial smile slides off his face and he asks hollowly and baffled,

"What are you doing?"

But Shiro doesn't seem to see the growing horror on Lance's face, greeting him cheerfully, "Hi Lance." 

Lance only stares back and at first Hunk thought it was funny, but at his silent treatment Hunk knows something's wrong.

"Oh! I'm milking Kalternecker." Shiro answers lightly looking concern now as well.

"I - I - you feed me - What did I drink?!" Lance screams as he tries and fails to not meltdown at learning this known fact among humans.

Hunk quickly grabs Lance's shoulders and turns him around, "Hey. Hey. It's okay. This. This is natural for this animal and some other animals on our planet. This is what mammals do, they make milk for the young to help them grow. Our moms do it too."

"I - I know that! It’s just it was only the women of our planet. We never had any animal do that on my planet." Lance says trying to calm himself down and dropping his head on Hunk's shoulder with a sigh as he explained his freak out.

"Really?"

"Yeah." And he nods into his shoulder.

"Well now you can see one of the many creatures that makes milk." Hunk says with a nervous grin, looking over Lance at an equally confused Shiro.

"But I thought it was for its young?" Lance questions as he raises his head looking confused, which thinking back Hunk could understand how that could happen.

Thankfully Shiro steps in – literally – resting a hand on Lance's shoulder too, " Yes, but cow milk is special. It can be drank by humans too, regardless of age and used to make food and is in a lot of food too."

Lance turns around and looks over at Kalternecker with worry, "And it doesn't hurt her."

"No. It’s actually important that we do milk her because if not it can cause an infection." Shiro answers with a soft smile.

"Wow really?" Walking over Lance pets her head and says into her ear, "We don't want that, do we?"

Shiro turns around and shares a knowing look with Hunk.

_Yeah. I agree, he's too sweet!_

"Do you want to try?" Shiro suggests as Lance continues to baby-talk his cow.

Lance stops and looks over wearily between the bucket just peeking out from underneath his cow and then looking back at Kalternecker, "Should I?"

"Yeah buddy! She's yours." Hunk encourages him. 

After some internal debate on Lance's part he takes up Shiro's offer and Hunk sees something that he can say no one has ever witness. It was both really odd and super adorable and something that would only happen in one of those ridiculous harlequin novels or period dramas his sister, Kisha, read or watched sometimes.

Since Shiro is just tall in general he doesn't need the stool and kneels while letting Lance take the stool - he even pulls it out for Lance to sit on - taking Lance's short gloves from him and placing them nicely on the fence behind them. Lance pulls his seafoam hood back before looking up very lost at Shiro. He pushes the prince close enough to Kalter and takes Lance's wrists and guides his hands to the utters. But considering that bending over was apart of milking a cow Shiro's chest ends up plastered against Lance's back and Shiro's chin rest on Lance's right shoulder. Hunk can clearly see the white of Lance's eyes as they have grown at least twice their size at his surprise and his face grows slightly deep red as Shiro whispers directly into his ear about what to do.

Shiro was Patrick Swayze-ing Lance and he had no idea.

As Lance struggles to focus on the simple instructions Hunk leaves the two awkward lovebirds as he gathers more hay for Kalter to eat. After the third trip Hunk checks in on them and has to say Lance is doing a good job and that Shiro shouldn't still be almost leaning completely on Lance - though now his left hand is resting high on Lance's left thigh while his right is on his own hip as he watches Lance's progress with minimal distance and the softest lovestruck grin Hunk has ever seen.

"You're doing a good job Lance." Shiro gently praises Lance as he leans more over his shoulder like before.

Lance turns and is inches from Shiro's face as he preens, "Really?"

"Yeah, I would say that she should be milk twice every two days because of the amount we are feeding her."

"Wow. Okay. I'll have to put in a reminder because I doubt I'll remember ever single time."

"Don't worry I'll take a shift too."

Lance turns all the way around to look at Shiro and as he moves, instead of taking his hand away, Shiro follows the movement and let's his hand rest on Lance's waist.

"Thanks Shiro."

"No problem," And with all the sweetness focusing solely on him Shiro looks down bashfully as he rubs the back of his head with his right hand, "It’s just something I know and I can help out with, you know."

_...Smooth._

"But it  _is_  helpful for me and apparently to Hunk too, so thanks."

_Oh you do remember my existence._

"Then you're welcome." Shiro says softly and with an even softer look.

They stare into each other's eyes like nothing else exist before the moment is interrupted by a set of chirps and Shiro starts before reaching into his pocket and pulling out his communicator and placing it in his ear.

"Yes...That's a smart idea... Sure. I can be there in 10-15 minutes... Okay." He answers in his serious voice.

"Who was that?" Hunk speaks up.

Both look over in pure surprise, probably just remembering he hadn't left, and Hunk can't help the teasing smirk that spreads over his lips at their reaction.

"...Allura wants to go over some of our game plan on what we will propose to the Blade of Marmora when we get there." Shiro answers quickly.

"And she can't wait?"

Lance honestly pouts and Hunk can see Shiro do a double-take and has to swallow his laughter as he can see their leader thinking about blowing off the princess. With some self-control that Hunk wishes he had, but is glad he doesn't possess, Shiro stands up and looks apologetically down at Lance.

"No rest for the weary." He says sadly, "I'll leave you to this. Hunk can answer any other of your questions. I'll see you later."

Shiro looks to him and gives him a look that say 'Don't say/tease me about this.' Hunk answers with his own shrug and 'Sorry, not sorry.'

Lance and him wave goodbye to their leader and as the door close Lance wistfully sighs out a 'bye' before dropping his head into Kalter's side, groaning, and Kalter moos right afterwards.

"You said it girl." Lance bemoans as he pats her stomach.

And Hunk is usually a sweet ball of sunshine, but in that moment he has the devious streak of Kisha come over him as he decides to enact his revenge on Lance for teasing him about Shay while he's still down.

"Wow," He says loudly and makes Lance slowly spin around to face him, "I never knew teaching aliens more about our animals would look so so..." Acting like he was looking for the right word.

"So?"

"Sensual. The heart eyes were enormous. I actually thought you were going to swoon into his arms." Hunk says smirking deviously, probably just like his sister.

Lance's eyes grow wide as he starts waving his arms and rambles out excuses as Hunk watches in some delight as he crosses his arms and leans against the fence.

"Heart?! Swoon?! What! I – here! I need to re-calibrate something, something I have with Coran - no Keith - Pidge... in the hangar!"

"Nice save." Hunk deadpans with an unconvinced look.

The prince glares at him as he stands up quickly and snatches his gloves off the post next to Hunk and turns to leave, but only gets halfway before he turns around and give Hunk the roughest hug he's ever gotten.

"I'm still mad, but you’re my favorite so you still get a hug." Lance mumbles into his shoulder.

"Aww you're my favorite too, but I still think that title's for someone else."

Hunk laughs as he gently pats Lance's back as he groans. He watches as Lance goes loose and sages into him and brings his arms around to cover his face and groans some more.

Taking some pity on him he leans back and holds Lance at arm's length to looks at him, "Mainly because you tease me about Shay and secondly, because I think you two would look cute together."

Lance pouts again, before an extremely small and shy smile touches his lips as he looks up.

"Thanks Hunk." 

"Now go do your re-calibrating of something with Keith. Coran? No. Pidge in the hanger." He teases and gets Lance to smile and punch him in the shoulder lightly before leaving.

"Pidge is rubbing off on you." Hunk calls out with a laugh.

"I'll tell her the compliment." Lance says back before leaving the stable.

Hunk leans down and puts the stool in the back of the barn and grabs the fourth bucket before leaving and locking the room.

Yeah, if he didn't know before from the countless sighs, lovesick grins, and dissertations on how sweet and how sexy Shiro was that whole display totally told Hunk that Lance absolutely has a thing for Shiro. And vice versa. It was going to be so cute to watch them until one of them finally says something. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Most of the horrible jokes were real things said between me and my three brothers and our 7 cousins. We're a mess and only do this in family settings.


	17. Spinning parts, moving hearts pt.1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pass forty-five vargas have been equally boring and stressful with finding out that Keith was part Galra to finally creating a plan to stop Zarkon permanently. In the midst of all of this, emotions rises as high as the stakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter got long super fast (like 10,000 words long) so I broke it into a two-parter. Enjoy! See you this Wednesday with the other half.

As the three –

_No. Two Galra. Ugh! Don't do that. He's still Keith._

As the two Galra walk up to him Lance isn't sure how he should feel about them, despite knowing they were some of the resistance. It wasn't anger or fear. More like unneeded unease, like he knew everything would be fine – eventually – just not how they were going to get to that point. The shorter of the two steps forward and his mask dematerializes like Ulaz's did to show a gruff and sacred face. Only for his face to be hidden from view again as he and his companion bow down in a kneel in front of him and his sister.

“Princess Allura. Prince A'lanor. It's good to see that the rumors are true. That you are both still alive after all these years.” The Galra says with reverence.

“So is Zarkon. Can we consider you our ally in the fight against him?” Allura replies coolly watching their every move as they stand again.

“Yes, but we have little time to discuss this. I just received word from our spy inside the Galran hierarchy. They have become aware of our presence, so the timetable for our plan has been moved up.” He reports in a dire tone.

“How soon do we need to begin?” Shiro questions.

“Now.” The Galra replies gravely.

“Then let us not waste any time.” Allura says before swiftly turning around to the elevator.

They walk in mostly silence except for brief introductions, but once they start going through the access their agent has and Allura giving sparse information on their abilities Lance notices how she stares frigidly at Kolivan and Antok and never lets her eyes stray from them. She won't address them by name and will only look at them when she is going to speak or expects them to. He also sees the hardness in her eyes as she goes out of her way to ignore Keith. Refusing to look at him since everything happened. In a way it was a good thing for Keith to have gone to the base, but doing so presented a horrible and foreseeable consequence of Allura ever trusting him again.

_“Only two hmm. Well it's obvious not me or Hunk so you're down to two.” Lance points out as he folds his arms staring at the astro-anaomly._

_But his comment causes Hunk to turn a sad distressed look at him._

_“What? Why is it obvious?” Hunk asks dejectedly._

_“Hunk,” Giving the other teen a flat stare, “Do you want to go?” Before stretching his left out to point at the base._

_Hunk looks out into the swirling vortexes and whispers “...No.”_

_“And I'm not allow to leave,” He shouldn't have made that dig at Allura because now it wouldn't be wholly safe for him to go in with just one other person, but he couldn't help it, “So that means Pidge or Keith. So it should be —“_

_“Keith.” Shiro interrupts._

_“Pid — Keith?! Why?” Lance cries out as he turns to the other Paladin in surprise._

_“Thanks Lance.” Keith deadpans._

_“I'm not trying to be mean.” Lance say, but doesn't break eye contact with Shiro._

_"You're doing a great job of it."_

_"Keith sucks at talking things out. The finer touch is not his forte." Lance tries to explain and while Keith looks usually indifferent Shiro looks completely undeterred._

_“Not always, but that’s why I'm going too," Shiro agrees, but doesn't as he reaches out to place a hand on his shoulder, "We haven't yet severed Zarkon's link with the Black Lion, so it has to stay here. And the Red Lion can withstand the heat from that sun. So, yes, it'll be Keith.”_

_Watching them leave was the most nerve racking moment Lance had experience since his first (unsanctioned) mission with his Father's Paladins. Not knowing what was happening, if the meeting was going well, or if they we're going to come back alright plagued his mind constantly for the first quintant. Sleep was hard to come by with worrying about them. So worried he just throws off his cape and sleep in his clothes in case anything happens and he needs to be up. But as it comes to the close of the second quintant and they all wait anxiously for any communication as Hunk and Pidge’s device shows nothing happening Lance gets a shiver. He ignores it at first assuming it's the cold of the bridge creeping in on him since he didn't put his cape back on, but it happens again and feels like something is pushing at his mind too and then he knows it's one of the Lions and the only one that would be panicked is –_

_“Red.”_

_Allura spins towards him with an angry and frightened look, “What's happening?”_

_“I don't know, but something is hurting Keith.” Lance says hollowly as he feels the fear turn into fury in Red._

_Then suddenly on screen they see Red roaring, roaring in anger before letting loose a blaze on the base._

_“We’ve gotta get down there! Now! Something's wrong!” Lance yells, mind racing with different thoughts._

_“It won't be ready for five more minutes.” Hunk calls out with a hint of a frantic note to his words._

_It was agonizing waiting, but as soon as the five doboshes were up Shiro was contacting the Castle causing a sense of relief to sweep across the bridge._

_“It took entirely too long. What were they asking of you?” Allura demands, but looks pleased that they're okay._

_But oddly Shiro looks uncertain for a tick before answering her. Lance is sure there's something else there, but doesn't ask because it could be anything._

_"It was them just asking to prove our —"_

_"No Shiro," Keith cuts him off, "I should – I need to tell them the truth," Keith peers up and looks directly at Allura as he says, "My dagger is something that only the Blade of Marmora carry and my father gave it to me. From my mother and I awaken it."_

_Lance is speechless. But the_   _tense silence of the revelation soon settles, but didn't take away the implications._

_**'I'm not who you think I am.... I don't know anymore.'** _

_It takes a couple tries, but Lance finally opens his mouth to ask the question they all knew the answer to._

_"So_ _you’re_ _part —"_

_"You're Galra." Allura says with cold finality._

_Keith looks like he's just been struck, but nods his head, "Yes."_

_Lance watches his sister glare holes into the screen until Keith can't take it anymore and looks down at his dashboard. She then turns her head to Coran and politely ask, "_ _ETA until the Red Lion is in the loading bay?"_

_Coran still seems to be frozen by the revelation and has to shakes himself first before answering Allura, "Uhh five doboshes Princess."_

_"Good. We'll meet you down there Shiro." And turns around missing how Shiro and Keith look at her aghast, how Hunk and Pidge turn to stare at her in confusion, and how he and Coran share a sad knowing look at the blatant omission of Keith's existence._

_Lance looks back to the screen, but Keith is already looking away while Shiro looks towards him with a pensive stare. Lance hopes he can convey his feelings are not the same with his apologetic look and the short shake of his head. Their leader just sighs wearily and turns off their transmission._

Yes, Lance is confused and hurt because what else would have Keith been hiding and meant when he told him those words. But Lance is more upset that he didn't confided in them about the possibility even if Keith obviously didn't know for sure. But as he watches Keith stare unseeing at the holograms floating above them he could see how he could hesitate to speak if the response was pure silence and isolation.

 

_I knew I should have just carried him to the medbay. His wounds are obviously worse than he said._

Shiro could see Keith trying to lean more weight onto his left side and hold his right side like he was simply waiting and bored, but Shiro could see the small trembles that went through him as he stood almost stock still. Shiro wanted to give him his undivided attention, but right now giving context to Allura's clipped answers was his job.

"Keith!"

Shiro looks up from a full itinerary of Zarkon's main fleet to see Lance catching Keith as he glares dazedly at him.

"I'm fine."

"No you're not. You took too much damage during those trials." Shiro berates as he walks over to help Lance get Keith standing.

"Trials? What trials?" Hunk asks looking between the two of them, but this was Keith's moment to share, not his.

"It is our trials of Marmora. They are a series of tests and fights to determine your skills, intelligence, mentality, and endurance. It results in either knowledge or death." Kolivan answers plainly and Shiro is near enough to see Lance's mouth twitch, like he wants to say something even if it’s very un-princely.

"You did what to him?" Pidge calls out in a flat tone as she levels an impressive glare at Kolivan.

"He could stop anytime, but chose not to." Antok adds unhelpfully.

"Yes, that sounds exactly like you." Lance says sarcastically as he raises an eyebrow at Keith.

"I'm right here." He mutters angrily.

"And yet you didn't answer any questions," Lance says louder before shouldering most of Keith's weight off of Shiro and onto him, "I got him," Lance says quietly giving him a small smile.

Shiro wants to take Keith back and take him to the pods, but he knows he is not in the position to do that now. He has to be the leader everyone is relying on – not the big brother who wants to comfort someone – so he steps away and lets Lance take on a responsibility that he can't, though wouldn't trust to anyone else but him.

"You all and the Marmoraites keep coming up with the plan. I'll take Keith to the medbay." Lance says as he all but drags a weakly struggling Keith from the bridge.

"We prefer the Blade if we are shortening our title." Kolivan speaks up tentatively after the prince leaves.

Everyone's mood brightens some as they smile at the Commander's lost sounding voice as they look to each other and share a knowing look. 

"Not anymore." Coran adds with a chortle.

"We are called the Blade." Antok adds still sounding confused.

"Oh it's absolutely charming that you think what you want to be called matters anymore." Coran continues doing nothing to help the Galra understand what has just happened.

"He's right. The prince gave you a nickname so the nickname must stay." Pidge folds her arms as she grins happily.

They look to the princess for an answer and while she doesn't make direct eye contact she does have a slight smile gracing her features.

"I have much sway over him, but that is not one area I can control." Allura says with a soft voice.

"Yeah, once he figured out that hunk – that my name by the way, Hunk Garrett-Auva'a. Hi – is also like a term for 'the weight of something' I am now forever known also as Hunk o' love. Pidge is Pidget pie or dancing queen, Keith is mophead – not his best – and Shiro is space dad or, or, or," He stutters over the end of his sentence as his happy grins turns into a scared and more chastised frown as Hunk looks at him.

Shiro finds himself looking back confused and feeling impatient about what else Lance calls him before he hears Hunk mumble sometimes along the lines of 'not telling him that name'.

"He also called you boft and that was my mistake," Hunk says quickly, obviously trying to distract them from what he was about to say. But with something much more embarrassing, "I told him about that when he was trying to explain how sweet and – well muscular you are and I take full responsibility for that. Apparently Alteans don't have portmanteau." Hunk holds his hands out in surrender.

Shiro has to bite the inside of his mouth to stop the blush and bashful smile trying to work its way onto his face at Lance calling him that. And for good measure he does hide his face in one hand so no one can see if he fails and so that he looks like the exasperated leader. 

"Probably because he wants to get some with space daddy." Pidge says slyly as she leans around Coran to waggle her eyebrows at him.

Severely flustered and not ready for Pidge – as if anyone was – he chokes on his own air and coughs out, fooling no one that the comment didn't affect him.

"Not really the time." He stresses as he looks subtly toward Allura and Coran.

"Am I to assume this is a human colloquialism?" Kolivan asks as both Pidge and Hunk badly hold in giggles while Allura looks giddy and disturbed and Coran looks pleasantly confused.

"Yes," Shiro says as he cringes, "One that we do not have the time and honestly, one I don't want to explain."

"Why not? It's good for them to know what they're getting into when forming an alliance with us." Pidge says deviously, her cheshire grin growing by the second.

At that Kolivan's yellow eyes grow wider as he slowly turns to look at each one of them, probably rethinking his choices of an alliance.

"I find it most amusing." Antok says, but considering the mask is drowning out some of his voice and blocking his face Shiro can't be sure if he's being sarcastic or genuine.

"Besides," And Shiro turns his attention to Pidge so fast he's almost afraid he broke something. He gives her a look that tells her she'll be on dishes duty for a week if she doesn't stop now, but she continues on, "Lance is totally the Mom friend of our group. He deserves some space lov–"

"Getting away from the topic!" Shiro strangely calls out as everyone looks to Pidge and him in confusion, "Getting away from the topic. Getting away? That's it! We need to get Zarkon away from his fleet if we stand a chance at a practical assault."

He sees Pidge as she leisurely strolls to his right and knocks his prosthetic.

"You're welcome." She says smugly before walking to her chair.

"Do most human meetings go like this?" Antok ask curiously. 

"Only when the unit is made up of close friends." Shiro answers half-jokingly and balefully.

"And some who want to be closer." Pidge calls out from her station.

"Ideas for removing the fleet away from Zarkon?" Shiro calls out in a rush not even caring how desperate he looked to get away from this topic.

 

"How can an injured person move so well?" Lance basically shouts as he looks down another hall.

Really this was his big mouth's fault, speaking before thinking and hurting others feelings. As he runs to the next walkway he can't help but think back on what he did. Lance was dragging Keith as he was being his usual stubborn self and was trying and failing to extract himself from Lance's strong grip. Lance had tried to make conversation as they made their way down, but Keith throughly ignores his every question. It's not until Lance says 'You could bleeding out and you would say you're alright' that Keith gets defensive and says back 'I _am_ fine. I don't need the pods I can work through it. This won't kill me'. Lance didn't mean what he said next it just sounded so similar to what other Galra soldiers or Zarkon himself had said when he had visited Daibazaal.

_"That is such is such a Galran thing to say."_

The moment it's out Lance knows he's made a mistake and turns to see Keith swinging at him. Lance lets go of his wrist and waist as he tries to distance himself. He may have successfully dodged the punch, but he also loses the patient. Keith took off running and Lance quickly after him only to quickly lose sight of him.

"He's in red! I should see him for k'qell!" Lance groans before realizing what he just said.

Stopping, he centers himself and reaches out to Red to ask where his Paladin was. It didn't take as much bargaining as he thought it would before Lance knew Keith's location and it wasn't too far. Turning around and running down an earlier hallway Lance plans to cut the Red Paladin off and when he's within sight Lance is lucky enough that Keith is looking behind him as Lance launches himself at the other Paladin. In hindsight throwing oneself at another injure party wasn't the best idea, but Keith did stop moving immediately, which honestly just proves that he was as hurt as Lance thought.

"Why?" Keith groans as he tries to sit up, but Lance is quicker and sits on his back and with Keith being as weak as he is can't move much more than a few weak struggles.

"Because you need go to the pods and I'm not getting up until you agree to it." Lance says back, much louder than needed.

"Why does it matter? Wouldn't you and Allura be happier if I just fell over dead?"

"No!" And Lance is up in a flash and pulling Keith up too, but holds onto his wrists to make sure he doesn't run away.

He's concern, not stupid.

"Keith I wouldn't want that ever. Even when I put us on bad terms when we first met, but I'm sorry - hand downs - for what I said," Keith watches him still unconvinced and Lance can't blame him, "I'm serious. I can't speak for Allura, but I will talk to her if she keeps this up because we know you Keith, and you are your own person and you being Galra doesn't define you. Its apart of you and that it, not you." And Lance sees the corner of Keith's lips twitch up at that, "And if we're honest you could really be from a race of hotheaded bad fashion scowly people."

Keith looks up at that and rolls his eyes as he sighs at him, "Really? I thought this was supposed to be a bonding moment and you had to ruin it."

"It's what I'm good at.” Lance smiles cheeky and makes Keith roll his eyes again.

"Just take me to the medbay so I don't have to be subjected to this."

"Sure thing."

They get there and Lance has to help Keith get out of his armor because of the bruising. Seeing them up close actually makes Lance want to go back up to the bridge and fight one of the Marmoraites. But he takes a deep breath as he puts Keith under and tells himself that wouldn't accomplish anything. He decides though that to be safe he'll stay down here with Keith and busy himself with throwing the slightly bloody jumpsuit down the laundry chute and going to get him another from the Paladin's armory. He cleans any other areas on the armor and waits on the steps for the two vargas that it will take for the bruising and likely small amount of internal bleeding to be heal. They come back to the bridge and Shiro and Allura look proud of themselves and it tells Lance they have something.

"So what have we got?" He announces himself to the room with Keith in tow.

They tell them how they had devised a plan to draw Zarkon out into open space with Black only for The Blade’s undercover agent to infected the ship with a virus. Then with the help of a humongous Teludav they would warp just Central Command away to the Yggiz galaxy and get rid of Zarkon permanently then. But the scale of the wormhole they were talking about would have to be bigger than anything any Altean had ever built.

"Please tell me we're not going back to the mall?" Hunk moans dramatically at the mention of another Teludav.

"I'm afraid not." Coran answers looking a little down himself.

"Thank God." Keith mutters.

"This is going to take a lot more scaultrite than we can find at any Unilu shop. For this plan to succeed, we're going to need to split up. We all have a task to do. Keith, Hunk, you'll be in charge of getting the scaultrite. You’ll be traveling to Treull space to find a Weblum to collect what we need. Don't worry I’ve installed a helpful video so your trip will be a success." Coran says with a happy grin before turning to him, "As for you Lance, you’ll be going on a stealth mission with Shiro and Pidge to a high security prison call Beta Traz to break out the Blade of Marmora engineer Slav so that we can hide the Teludav until it's time to use it."

_Galra prison. Yeah._

Just thinking about that made Lance's skin crawl after his short stint in one. But he couldn't let that cloud his mind. This was so important he couldn't — wouldn't let himself mess up.

"If any one of us fails, the entire plan fails." Coran says gravely, which why practical to say does make Lance's skin crawl more.

They see each other off, Lance and Pidge getting tight hugs from Hunk while Shiro give Keith a much needed hug. Allura still refuses to look at Keith and Lance knows they're going to have to talk when he comes back. As they make their way over to Blue Lance can see how upset and despondent Allura was about all of this.

"Good luck." Allura says with a small smile, but one that doesn't reach her eyes.

"You know I should get a kiss for luck." Lance says teasingly.

Trying to get his sister to smile, at least before he leaves he wants to see her smile one more time.

"Really Lance?" But she says it in happy exasperation, but the smile is still too small for him.

"Not moving from this spot." Lance singsongs, even rocking on his heels for added cuteness.

"A'lanor." Her voice is tired, but her face starts to soften more.

But before Allura can cave like she had done times before Shiro steps around in front of him. At first, Lance was sure Shiro was going to ruin his fun, but he gives him a playful grin that has Lance freezing in place as Shiro reaches for his right hand. He brings it towards him as he also bends down to meet it halfway, never taking his eyes off Lance as he does. Lance can only watch happily helpless and short of breath as Shiro starts to smirk, making his usually heroic manner shift to something dangerously dashing as he kisses his gloved knuckles. Lance can feel the too soft pressure of Shiro's lips as well as the briefest moment of heat from them, yet his body feels wholly on fire as Shiro seals the deal with peering up at him from beneath his lashes giving Lance a quick wink that has the prince ascending into the afterlife. Not able to look away, let alone function, Lance doesn't really notice anyone else's reactions beside Shiro's soft smile.

Allura is practically dazzling with hearts and stars in her eyes as she tries to hide her thrilled and surprised look behind her hands as the mice squeak at her in delight.

Pidge is smiling wickedly with a knowing look plain on her face.

Coran looks completely floored mouth agape as his ears bend back and his sïqę flush a deeper ocean blue.

"Alright team, let’s go." Shiro say normally, like he hadn't just given Lance one of the best moments of his life since he had woken up.

Lance was so indisposed that Shiro has to lead him into Blue and he still can't do more than look back and dazedly wave goodbye to his sister and Coran.

"Pidge," He whispers with a large grin, his giddiness cutting off the first syllable of her name, "Shiro gave me a kiss for good luck!"

She just shakes her head at him and pushes him forward so he wasn't leaning back and relying on only Shiro's hold on him.

_But he could hold me up if he wanted. He has the muscles to do it._

He sighs dreamily as Pidge rolls her eyes and chuckles at him.

"Yeah I saw, you dopey idiot. Absolutely helpless in the face of a small kiss," Pidge says before whispering, "But still. Nice score."

Blue is sweet enough to congratulate him too, though her thoughts sound more like a playful exasperated sigh of 'Thank goodness, now you can stop sighing longingly.'

"Blue! Stop!" He says embarrassed.

But as Shiro looks down at him in confused concern Lance has to stop himself from doing what Blue just said and quietly deal with her smugness radiating all over him.


	18. Spinning parts, moving hearts pt.2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breaking into a prison: Easy...sorta  
> Talking about your part-Galra friend with your understandably angry sister: Intermediate  
> Telling your crush you like them: Advance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PART 2 & the other 7,700 words! And now with DOUBLE the SHANCE!!!

Doing his last dobosh checks Lance smiles to himself as everything comes back green, "All right, guys, we're ready to fire."

"Be careful, you've only got one shot." Pidge warns.

"Don't worry, Pidge, I'm an excellent shot. I'm not the team's sharpshooter for nothing." Lance finds himself boasting at his skill.

He wasn't third of the top ten best archers on Altea for nothing. 

"With hearts on the brain I am caution to agree." Pidge lightly teases him. He can even hear the smile in her voice.

"Hey!" Lance shouts back before launching them into space.

After they get in and Lance gets the scan of the prison they meet in a lower hanger to discuss their next move. They find out that the base has three levels that are similar for each level, but have different security measures for each one.

"That's weird," Pidge interrupts herself to squint at the scan, "The Blade of Marmora said this prison was made just for Slav, but I'm showing two cells. Who else would be held here?"

"Well knowing the Galra maybe another scientist or, or someone with magical powers, maybe?" Lance throws out his opinion.

He's so focused on the scan that he doesn't see how both his friends look at him with worried expressions.

"It's possible," Shiro answers, "Can you get a visual on the cells?" 

"No, not from here. And even if I could, we don't know what Slav looks like." Pidge reports turning to face Shiro.

"Then we're just going to have to check both." Shiro decides.

"I'll go to the command center to try and access the security system."

"Let's get moving."

They split up with Pidge flying up to the air ducts and Shiro guiding them around the first level based on his knowledge of the sentries' movements. They only make it down two corridors before Pidge is radioing back in.

"I'm in." Comes through loud and clear.

"Guide us through." Shiro whispers.

Pidge gives them a run down of the first two levels being relatively simple to pass through, minus the immobilizing foam, and there were three elevators which decreased in numbers as someone went lower into the prison.

"And the third level?" Shiro asks.

"Closed system. I can't get in from here." Pidge replies.

Shiro shares a dubious look with him and Lance can only shrug. Obviously they weren't joking when they said this place was maximum security. 

"You can't get in from the command center?" Shiro asks thoroughly confused.

"No single location can access the entire prison. It's a security measure. When you reach that level, you'll have to link me in." Pidge tells them and Lance feels his skin crawl with uncertainty again as a small voice says 'if' they reach the level.

"We're on our way down." Shiro says - the epitome of calm - and jogs off as Lance follows keeping a close distance.

They make it to the second elevator unseen by any guards, but just before they make the final turn they see a sentry guarding their way in.

_Of course._

"How are we going to get by this?" But Lance no more than finishes the question before Shiro is flying down and slicing it in two.

Lance is in a word, shocked, by that move. Something definitely 'Keith worthy', not Shiro, but as Lance looks around and takes in where they are and what there doing with more clarity he can see how this was affecting Shiro. He maybe be calm now, but on the flight in he was constantly readjusting his gauntlets and powering his arm on and off. Busy with their own tasks and checks neither he or Pidge said anything, but the reason now was clear. Unlike him, who had spent a movement in a prison, Shiro had spent a whole year. This mission must be messing with him more than he thought and he was rushing to get it done.

Stepping into the elevator he waits until they start moving to ask his question, "Shiro ...are you going to be okay?"

Shiro doesn't turn to look at him, but peers out of the corner of his eye before going back to watching the closed door.

"Why wouldn't I be?" He asks sounding completely untroubled.

Lance's eyes grow big and he looks away, already rethinking how he was probably pushing his own thoughts and fears about the prison onto Shiro.

_It was silly. He wouldn't let something like that compromise him. He's the leader._

Lost in thought the hand on his shoulder makes him jolt back and look over at Shiro who stares back with sympathetic eyes.

"I'm handling it. I'll be better when we're out, but I'm handling it. How are you?"

"Anxious to split up, but I'll still have Pidge in my ear so I should be fine too. And I have more space to move around – if there's a fight that is."

Lance knows his smile doesn't look 100%, but if he's already this far he can keep going.

Shiro smiles softly and gives his shoulder a comforting squeeze, "Okay. We're going to be okay and we'll get through this."

Lance finds himself nodding despite still being a little terrified of going deeper into the prison, but knowing he's not alone does help.

Soon they're off the elevator and making their way to the next one, but just as the door opens a floating drone is staring straight at them. Both of them immediately start to glow – Shiro's arm a violent violet and both of his hands a burning blue – Lance was so high strung he doesn't even reach for his bayard to protect himself, just instinct.

"No, no, no, that's mine! He's going to be your escort through this level. He'll scramble the monitors." Pidge frantically calls over their comms.

"Pidge warn us next time. I have bad history with these things." Lance says as he calms his racing heart before jogging after Shiro and the drone.

"I'll keep that in mind... for the next time you forget to tell me about something cool on the ship." Pidge says tightly.

Shiro turns to look at Lance and he just rolls his eyes and frowns, "I said I was sorry about the library. What more do you want?"

"Don't know yet, but I'll think of something." She taunts with a few evil chuckles at the end.

"I'm sure whatever it is it will be truly dreadful Pidge." Shiro chimes in unhelpfully as they stop behind a wall to let another drone go pass.

"Hey whose side are you on?" Lance says in a normal tone of voice, drowning out Pidge's soft giggles and affirmative answer.

Shiro just smiles that soft smile at him and says, "I won't let her do anything too bad to you. Promise."

And after the kiss seeing Shiro like this has Lance's heart beating harder than ever and is powerless in the face of him.

"Fine." He pouts just a bit – only a little bit – before moving out again.

But the banter had definitely calmed him down as he doesn't really notice when they make it farther into prison and even down a large concentric hall.

All to to soon they reach the last elevator and travel down with the doors opening to a fork in the hall. Pidge's Rover 2.0 floats over to scrambles the monitors before Pidge is splitting them up. Before Lance can even take a step he's stopped by a hand grabbing his in a loose hold. Turning around, Shiro gives him an encouraging grin and nods at him. Lance returns it with his own smile and Shiro grasps his hand a little tighter before letting it go and taking off down the left side of the prison. They make it through seamlessly as the rest of the way has no one else on this level and the last leg was a straight shot of three large doors before he comes to a huge open room with just as wide doors.

"Huh? Pidge, you have any idea how I'm gonna get through these giant doors?" He asks looking around for anyway to get in. He sees some vents and while he's not small like Pidge and Keith he's pretty slender so maybe –

"Lance, be quiet. Someone's coming." 

At Pidge's warning Lance runs back to the vents and hides in the small corner the wall creates for him and sees someone walk in that he would never willingly take on in a fight.

"Okay, but seriously, those are some heavy-duty doors. What should I do?" But just as he asks the question he gets his own answer, "The door over here scanned the warden's face."

"Oh, facial recognition," Pidge says in an obvious tone, "Shiro, hold tight. Lance, you're gonna need to get a scan of his face."

"Copy that," He sounds off before saying quietly to himself, "And no pressure."

As the warden exits the cell Lance takes a deep breath and waits until he's in range for the shot, but has enough cover to hide right afterwards. It takes a tick and a half, feels like a century before the warden leaves, and Lance lets out the most relieved exhaled known in the universe.

"Face on the way, Pidge."

The render comes back perfect and the doors open both ominously and slowly. Lance waits a few more ticks before running in with his blaster out in case of extra security and comes face-to-face with something he wouldn't expect in a thousand years. Standing in front of him – towering over him – was definitely not Slav.

"Uhh... Pidge," He whispers into his comm hoping his lack of movement would deter the creature, "I'm going to need you to get me back to Shiro." Standing even more still as it comes closer to stiff at him.

"Why?"

"Because I'm sure that I don't have Slav." His voice hitting a squeak as it nudges his side and almost makes him fall over.

"What? How are you sure?" Pidge ask sounding very confused.

"Because I'm pretty sure this is a yupper. Just way bigger. And with horns." And as he says that the yupper stand back up on it's hunches and glares down at him.

"Yup."

Lance knows his mouth dropped because he had never encountered this, "And it can speak," he say weakly taking measured steps backwards.

"Yup."

Yuppers from his time were only a little bigger than cats and made continuous yipping and yupping sounds, thus earning them their names, but none were able to make a singular sound that sounded so close to a positive answer. This was a whole new breed entirely.

"Ooohhh that's what that is?" Pidge says sounding fairly intrigued, "It's easy enough to get you back to the elevator, but I don't know if the car will put you at the far end or the near one."

"It's fine. I'll have you telling me where I am, but I can make it back to the elevator no problem."

Making sure to have the doors close behind him Lance starts jogging back the way he came from to get to Shiro's location and the real Slav. The sooner he did the quicker they would be out of here and back on the Castle.

_But not for long._

The thought is barely a whisper in his mind, but it doesn't make it any less true. After their plan Voltron won't be needed as much. Maybe to help clean up or liberate very heavily guarded systems, but it was mostly over. The team could go home and be with their families and loved ones. Something he and Allura couldn't do anymore.

Honestly when Lance actually acknowledged everything he loved was gone except two of his favorite people Shiro was there for him. He was just talking over some semantics and checking system for the Castle with Hunk and Coran when Shiro joined them on the bridge. They filled him in on what they were doing — and it wasn't much that set him off just Hunk saying how the semantics were as bright as some of the cities back on Earth and Shiro responding positively. It did, since it was a bisect of the whole ship and made the internal workings look like window lights in a city. And it just broke something in him as he thought about the similar view he would have from the library and he started crying. He didn't even notice until everyone is saying something and he takes off running and hiding in one of the many mourning abbeys to hide out as he comes to terms with his world's demise and the extensional crisis of him being one of two males left of his race and the prince of a dead world. Impossibly it was Shiro who found him – probably with Coran's help – and Shiro sat with him until he was able to pour out his heart about losing everyone and how he had thought it would have been better if he stayed on the doomed planet. And in an instant he was wrapped up in Shiro's strong comforting arms as he holds him tight and tells him everything would get better because they could make a difference now. That he and Allura were a sign of hope that the Galra oppression wouldn't last much longer. He sat and held him until he was ready to face Coran and Allura, but before they left the small hidden staircase Shiro told him if he ever needed to talk he would be there.

**_"I'll be here for you Lance if you ever need a shoulder to cry on. You've been there for me in these last weeks and I want to do the same. You're a fantastic person and I hate to see you upset."_ **

It was small praise.

Quite literally a pat on the back, but as someone who thrived on praise those words were just like the warm embrace Lance just left and it meant so much to him. And it just kept happening over and over again. When they were training Shiro would compliment him and then he started coming to him with questions about the ship or other aliens they encountered, even mentioning he was coming to Lance first instead of Allura. Lance at first wanted Shiro to see him at his best, which he obviously did, but then it soon turned into wanting Shiro to see him as him as he got to know the other man more and more. He wasn't only sweet with a gentle nature, but he was relisent in the face of danger and calm when the team – when he – wasn't. He was also a bit of a dork and could be funny when he wanted too making Lance laugh unexpectedly. Plus, he was also one of the hottest aliens he had ever met. The crush started small, but shortly and surely it grew with every sweet, fantastic, or funny interaction they had.

And yet Lance had said nothing to Shiro, even when he tells himself to risk it. At least Lance tells himself every time Shiro walks – or on a few occasion, carries – him to his room that he would say something then, but he always sides on the err of caution and simply wishes Shiro a good night before closing the doors and berating himself for not having a backbone. Though now, especially with that kiss, he was sure of Shiro's feelings and he knew Shiro wouldn't be capable of teasing him like that, but Lance was still hesitant to take that final step. To ask and be sure. With what had happened before Lance had every right to still be afraid of the immediate backlash of his confession.

"Lance I'm so sorry!" Pidge crashes into his mental monologing with an apologetic and scared tone, "But I had to do it to get the warden out of the command center." 

Lance pauses, "What?! Are you okay?" He asks in a rush as he checks his surroundings before stepping out of the elevator and into the unfamiliar corridor.

"I'm fine, but I let his pet get out and he's coming down the far side, your side, to investigate it."

"It's okay. Pidge I'll get out of it and get to the elevators. Check on Shiro. He's been oddly silence for awhile." Lance says calmly trying to already work out how he was supposed to make it pass such an imposing Galra.

"Can do. I'm sending the drone to you to help you out. And I'm sorry again."

Lance forgives her again and continues down following Rover 2.0 closely. He's going down a long hall before the circle center that will get him to the other elevator and the first level when he hears the heavy footsteps echoing around him. It takes a tick, but he recognizes it as coming from in front of him.

The warden was here.

Hiding behind one of the many sides jutting out from the wall Lance looks for any way around, but sees nothing he can climb into or hid behind without being seen. If he didn't figure out something quick the warden was going to see him.

_See him._

"Quiznak!" He says in a anger whisper. 

One of the 'oh so great' abilities the druids had forced him to learn while in their hands was how to blend into surroundings so they could easily gather intelligence on unspeciting people. Lance was able to hold it for twenty ticks with their continued testing, but he hadn't practiced it since then and right now he was regretting it. It would be perfect to get pass the warden, but if it failed...

The decision is soon taken out of his hands as he sees the Galra rounding the corner.

Centering his magic, it felt heavy on his chest before the heaviness engulfed him and made it feel almost impossible to move. But he got up and started shuffling near the wall just far enough away from the warden so he could get behind him and hide behind one of the other partitions. But he wasn't fast enough as the weighted glamour is off him and it was like coming up for air that Lance couldn't stop the sigh that left his mouth. 

The tick of silence afterwards seems unending and too short at the same time as he starts to sprint for the end of the hallway only for a large metal hand to wrap around his waist and drag him back.

"Quiznak!" Lance shouts as he teleports out and to the end of the hall before turning left after the drone and making it down the hall.

Lance can hear the heavy and fast approaching footsteps behind him as the warden yells, "Put the prison on lockdown!" And the alarms start to sound loudly.

_There goes our cover._

Soon the small turrets on the ceiling are pointed at him and he's sidestepping some of the foam shot at him and shielding himself from the others.

"Pidge! I'm in trouble. You've gotta shut down this foam for me!"

"On it!" She says, but five ticks later and one too close call by a turret has Lance calling her again.

"Pidge!"

"Sorry!" She yelps, "Just reversing the targeting system, and...this ought to slow him down."

The turrets whirl slightly and take up a new aim shooting above Lance and he can hear it hit the warden as he grunts and groans. Lance turns his head back just enough to see him struggling in a giant glop and smirks victoriously at him, much to the Galra's dismay, which he makes known as his roar echoes down the hall after the laughing prince.

 

  
The students at the Garrison or any of the schools he visited weren't even _a fraction_ of the level of annoying this Slav was. He was overly-dramatic, needlessly worried about things in different realities that might not even exist, and making this rescue extremely difficult and burning through his almost boundless patience.

Does he realizes they _cannot_ be caught here. That he’ll be imprisoned again. They’ll be imprisoned. Shiro is not letting that happen to him again, not after finally being able to make his own choices again. He loves being free. It was one of those things you didn't completely understand when you have it until it's gone. He understood time better than most with only three to four years before the deterioration reached a point he wouldn't be able to do half of the thinks he loved now.

But freedom.

That will be a lifetime if he could help it and he wouldn't ever take it for granted again. Being free to make choices, to bond with the team, to be with Lance, all of it was something he craved. He had made that mistake once – not understanding what he had – he was getting a second chance now and he wasn't going to give it up. Lance was something bright and beautiful you don't come across often, especially now. But he kept up everyone's spirits – his included – and was so good to others; even when finding out about Keith. That's why he brashly made some of his feelings known. Time and maybe freedom was limited in war and he wasn't going to pass it up. He wanted to be happy, but more importantly he wanted Lance to be the happiest person in the universe and Shiro selfishly wanted to do that for him. And he would make sure of it by getting this insane alien out of this damned hallway.

"We've. Got. To go!" Shiro stresses as he makes another grab for the genius. 

Slav just dodges again and clambers up into the celling screaming louder than the alarms.

_I do NOT have time for this!_

"My friends are in trouble. We have to go now! We are walking over those cracks, its our only option!" Shiro growls, panic leeching into his words as their window becomes smaller with each passing second.

"Why don't we just turn the gravity off and float over them instead? Honestly, that's our best shot of getting out of here in one piece. I ran the numbers." Slav answers calmly and actually saying something practical for the first time since this all started.

And thinking on the idea it makes sense too.

"Pidge, any chance you can turn the gravity off?" Shiro says with a slight smile with a plan coming together.

"Oh, that's a great idea!" Pidge says excitedly, "Then the sentries won't be able to maneuver, but we have our jetpacks. It's genius!"

Soon the weightlessness has Shiro floating up to the scientist and letting him hold onto him like before. They travel over the harmless cracks easily, but run into two sentries down the next hallway. Shiro quickly dispatches them and continues to the final elevator undeterred.  

"That robot arm is fantastic! Now, imagine if you had two. Our chances of survival would go up 300 percent from totally doomed to highly unlikely."

_Tact seems to be another missing characteristics of yours._

Shiro mentally grouses as he tries to ignore Slav's chattering as the elevator is in sight. He flies down it and the hallway converges with another and Lance comes sailing down it. They're eyes meet and relief is clear in Lance as it's probably in his.

"Oh a bytor." Lance says surprised as he points to Slav.

"Oh wow an Altean. You're not supposed to be around anymore." Slav replies calmly and intrigued like nothing he just said was the wrong thing.

Shiro facepalms.

Thankfully Pidge's voice comes over their comms distracting Shiro for a moment.

"Gravity's back online in three, two, one."

They both reorient themselves so they can run the last couple feet to the elevator. As they make it inside Pidge informs them that she is making her way to the hanger too. Shiro isn't sure how far away the command center is from the hanger, but she'll have five minutes or less to get there as he timed the distances between each checkpoint. But with just running to the Blue Lion Pidge would have less time.

"How could you tell?" Lance asks in the silence of the elevator car.

Shiro looks over preplexed, unsure of what the prince was asking.

"The sïqę on your cheeks and your eyes. It's a rare sight to see pupils a different color than black." Slav says appreciative as he leans down to look closer at Lance's face.

"Oh. Right." Lance replies quietly, looking flustered as he raises his empty left hand to touch them. He even blushes a bit as he does so.

_Adorable._

"Is it true your species can change your bodies to other bipedal aliens?" Slav inquires as he looks between the two of them.

Lance looks to him and Shiro can only give him a tired look in return. Lance then takes off his helmet and tilts his face up so that Slav would be able to see and changes his eyes to look reminiscent of a snake and then a horse. Next the whites of his eyes are replaced with red and his iris and pupil both became shades of white. Finally he does one where his eyes look the same except there are two sets of pupils and irises in one eyeball – likely something similar to compounded eyes in insects – but regardless it was an amazing sight to be hold before he changed his eye back to normal. 

"Fantastic! It would be marvelous to see your eyes – or you – in the process of changing, but that would require some bisecting surgery. Oh! And a full body endogram. But the mechanics we could learn and work into existing transforming buildings and camouflage technology would be phenomenal!" Slav rants leaning more and more into Lance's space.

Collectedly taking a step back from each other, they expand the space between them as Lance – looking very pale – puts his helmet back on and then turns to face the wall.

"What? Did something happen?" Slav questions hanging upside in front of him.

Shiro glares at him and bites the inside of his mouth as he frowns harder than he ever had before telling him that it won't do anything for anyone if he loses his last nerve just before they were about to make it out alive.

But their day just keeps getting better as they reach to hanger and it opens to a small group of sentries blocking their way to the Blue Lion.

"Get to Blue!" Shiro calls out as he pulls up his shield and pushes Slav off of him.

Lance rushes forward and spins around before slicing the air with his right arm, throwing a blast of power that takes out the front three sentries. Shiro takes out three more while Lance shoots the final two.

"Let's go. Slav!" Shiro calls out ready to be done with this whole mission.

"Be right with you!"

He answers back, popping up like a meerkat from behind some cargo boxes before crawling down them. Only for the warden to come through a higher level door yelling for him too. He jumps down at him and Shiro quickly grabs Slav when he can see the genius is too scared to move.

"You think you can outsmart me and steal my prisoner?" The Galra grunts before pressing a button on his side and making himself double – maybe triple – in size like a cartoon villain.

Shiro is so focused on the transformation that he doesn't even hear Pidge until she right behind him.

"Okay, I'm ready — What is that?!" She screams.

"You're not going anywhere. And neither is the Lion!" The warden bellows before knocking them about like bowling pins.

After he knocks Pidge and Lance away Shiro sees his opening, but more importantly sees how the warden has Lance cornered and about to crush him with a giant barrel. Running to get momentum he jumps onto a set of heavy crates and runs across them until he's pushing off and gunning for his exposed side, but at the last second one of the metal arms knocks him back like he was nothing. 

He gets up with a grunt and ignoring Slav, his attention is taken when he hears and feels an explosion. Looking up he sees the warden reaching up and grabbing Lance right out of the air before smacking him on the ground as he lands.

"Not this time little prince." The warden chuckles darkly and Shiro sees red. 

He tells his arm to go to full power and charges at the Galra; battle cry, fist raised, and furious.

But it doesn't nothing again as the warden matches his punch and sends him flying back again. Catching himself again Shiro is up and running at the warden again only for the Galra to throw both Pidge and Lance at him, scattering them across the floor.

"Quiznak, that Bane-wannabe packs some serious punch." Pidge groans as she sits up.

Shiro nods in agreement before he starts trying to make his way to a slowly stirring and groaning Lance. But suddenly there are alarms going off and they're being pulled toward the hanger doors as they open and drag them out. Shiro quickly digs his metal fingers into one of the cracks in the floor and makes a grab for Lance, who is now shaking himself awake but still listless. But Shiro holds him tight and manually closes his helmet before they drift out, even going as far as to cradle him close so none of the debris would hit him. Its only when Lance is looking around with alertness does Shiro loosen his grip.

"Where's Slav?" Lance ask as he floats from Shiro's grip to look around the debris coming with them.

Shiro turns his attention to the hanger and sees him being sucked out with the vacuum and is ready to grab him, but someone else has the same idea. The warden snatches him out of the air as he and his team draw further away by another force. Looking back quickly – afraid for a tracker beam – Shiro sees Blue sucking them in, as if she was prioritizing their safety. But in doing so it will mean the failure of the mission.

"No!" Shiro yells at the Lion, almost about to beg her to stop, but it does nothing to stop it until Lance shouts,

"Wait Blue! I got this!"

Shiro whips around in surprise to watch Lance line up the shot and take a deep breath.

"Come on..." He whispers and takes the shot flawlessly hitting the warden in his mechanical arm's right joint and letting Slav free.

"Nice, Lance! That's why we bring our sharpshooter." Shiro says with a genuine smile and happiness fueled by adrenaline and joy at watching Lance being amazing after such a recent injury.

"Yup." He smirks triumphantly as he winks at him.

Shiro can't help the personal grin he gives Lance after that as he flies toward Blue under his own power.

_Amazing and everything is going just right._

Shiro thinks as he turns around holding onto Blue's jaw and reaching out to help Lance back into his Lion. The smile the prince gives him is perfect sweetness and he even holds his hand until they get to the cockpit where he has to let go to fly them back. Shiro doesn't mind because this plan was going to work and he would have all the time he wanted to hold Lance's hand.

_Just right for once._

 

"What are you thinking about?" Allura asks softly as she comes to stand next to his slouched stature on the bannister.

"Home. You. Them," Lance says lowly as he looks to the speck where he knew the other Paladins were watching the sunset, "We have nowhere, but they get to go home to a living planet and families. We'll be here fixing the last of the empire." Lance says sadly.

Allura starts to comb her fingers through his hair, "I'm sure they will invite us," she says softly as they watched the view.

"I know Shiro will." She adds a few doboshes later, sweetness hanging on each word.

"Yeah." He sighs longingly.

Lance can't stop the small smile that comes to his lips at the scenario of Shiro asking him to come visit and go to the places called California and Japan.

"He seems very enamored with you," Allura chuckles twirling some of his hair in her hold, "I'm sure it won't be long now before he ask you to start courting."

Still not a topic he wants to talk about with his sister Lance hides his burning face in his crossed hands.

"I'm going to miss them." Lance mumbles, but knows Allura heard him.

"Me as well."

Leaning up to rest on his elbows Lance looks out to the speck again and realizes this was the best moment before everything that will happen to talk about her and Keith.

"Obviously Shiro because I like him a whole lot and I feel great and safe with him. Pidge for all her sass and I'll be losing a krīyi buddy and a language student. And Hunk because Hunk's just the greatest sweetest person ever and he wins at the best hugs. And of course Keith too. I know we didn't start off okay, but I trust him with my life now."

"Yes." She replies lacklusterly.

He had been watching her out of the corner of his eye as she continued to look forward, smiling a little bit more every time a human was mentioned, but when he said Keith's name her smile instantly soured into a frown. Standing up straight, Lance rest his hip against the railing and reaches out for Allura taking her right hand in both of his.

"That's the other thing Allura. It's not his fault who he is." He says gently.

"He should have warned us." She says furiously as she turns her head away from him.

"And with how we – well mostly you – have and are acting to Galra I doubt he felt safe. I can see why he didn't," He says lightly.

But with no reaction Lance asks the real question that had been bugging him, "Why does it matter if Keith's Galra? Why is this so important to you?"

Allura is stubbornly quiet and Lance was about to ask again when she says in a rushed whisper, "Because it means the Galra we're on Earth." 

"Oh."

And Lance hadn't thought of it that way. How they obviously knew where he was hiding. How close he was to being in Galra hands without him even knowing it.

"But it was the Blade of Marmora." He tries to reason.

"Which we now know works in the empire for intelligence," Allura turns around and while she sounds anger her eyes are full of fear, "What if that's how they knew you were there? I wouldn't have been able to save —"

"Hey," Grabbing her shoulders gently she stops speaking and looks up at him with a pout, "That's a big if and still no reason to dislike how someone was born. No one is asked to be born. They're are out of accident or love and I like to believe it's love for Keith. I think you should just rethink how you're treating one of our friends."

Allura eyes widen a bit before she looking down and holding herself against the painful truth. Lance knows he can't say much more so he leans over and gives her a quick hug before leaving Allura with her thoughts. But before he gets further than the archway he turns back around.

"Please just try to speak to Keith. He already feels bad for us finding out this way. Just think about it okay." 

She says nothing, but he sees the slight nod of her head and that's good enough for him.

* * *

He had meant to go to bed immediately after evening meal, but he was still a little restless with what was happening tomorrow and had to walk around to get rid of those pre-pre-mission jitters. Shiro just happened to be on the second deck of the Teludav structure looking out, not really focusing on much. Lance wasn't going to disturb him, but Shiro noticed him anyway. And like the concern leader he was Shiro invites him over to stand and look at nothing with him. It's actually kind of therapeutic just letting his mind drift while staring at nothing, but when Shiro ask what he's thinking about Lance lets go of the silence to turn and speak with Shiro. Their nightly meetings had become less and less, more erratic as Shiro actually found rest at night. Lance was thrilled for it, but at the same time a small part of him missed their alone time. They talked other times, but Lance was always a bit paranoid when someone would look his way - usually everyone but Coran - with knowing glances. But now it was just him and Shiro and it couldn't be better. Right now Shiro was the one talking, telling him about a city that sat on a beautiful bay, had sloping streets, wonderful beaches and trails, and where most of his cousins lived and how he was excited to go see them again before getting back to the Garrison. The vibrancy and giddiness in his voice was only tampered by Shiro's calm façade, but Lance could see it in how his lips would twitch up every so often like he was fighting a smile and his eyes would crinkle. Watching Shiro was such a wonderful activity and Lance wish he had time to do it more, to just see him smile, laugh, and to be happy.

Lance isn't sure when he started to close the distance between them, he was just so drawn to Shiro. But as he gets closer Lance feels the urge to be closer still. To tell Shiro how he really feels. Even if its not verbally. With some confidence he dredged up from somewhere Lance closes the distance between his lips and Shiro's cheek.

At least that was the plan, but just before Shiro must have seen him because he turns his head slightly and Lance is pressing a soft kiss to the edge of his lips. Lance hears Shiro's sharp intake, but he makes no action to move, even when Lance only move back a v'qell or two. He catch himself smiling before looking up to Shiro and sees his blush almost across his whole face, but it's his eyes that Lance truly notices. His slate and brown eyes are open wide in shock and the first thing Lance's mind can remember similar to this has a very different ending.

_Had he really been playing 'nice' all this time?_

Lance doesn't give it a second thought, mortified by what he had done. He spins around to run away, but is stop immediately by a strong grasp holding onto his right wrist and pulling him back. He can't bare to look into those apologetic eyes and keeps his eyes low.

"Shiro I am so so sorry. That was out of line, I -"

Lance stops abruptly when Shiro's warmed metal hand gently takes his face and tilts it up only for Shiro to kiss him.

Its soft and chaste and everything that Lance wants it to be. He lets his eyes slip shut and feels the kiss on a whole new level. Shiro keeps it closed mouth as they gently mold their lips together, but every so often he would nip at his lower lip or opens his mouth just enough that Lance had a taste. It was invigorating and carefree at the same time as Lance happily sighs and moans into the kiss, his arms raising up to wrap around Shiro's neck and press their lips closer together making them both gasp. Shiro in turns slides his left hand down to rest on Lance's waist before circling his arm around and bring them flush against each other. His right hand never really leaving its' place on his cheek, but slides down to cup his neck and chin, his thumb still rubbing over his sïqę softly as he tilts Lance's head up more into the kiss making Lance whimper at the care Shiro was placing on him and his own emotions seeming to crest with joy.

When it ends Lance doesn't notice. He really can't process it. It takes a second and then he notices his lips are tingling, but have no other pressure on them. His forehead does though as someone else was leaning their head against his. And then there was the labored breathing and how it join by another.

_I did that. I kissed Shiro. Shiro kissed me! He kissed me!_

The soft caressing of his cheek bring Lance back again and has him looking up from underneath his lashes into those stormy eyes again and finds nothing but warmth in them.

"I don't think I'm reading this wrong but..." And Shiro trails off, left hand squeezing lightly into Lance's right side as he looks away sheepishly.

The chuckle that bubbles out of Lance has him looking back concerned, but Lance lightly drags his fingers down through Shiro's buzzed hair - apparently that's where they went - and smiles beautifully at him, "I feel I should be asking that. I don't have the best record with putting my heart out there. And this definitely didn't happen last time."

Shiro looks shocked as he leans back a bit more to asks gently, "What happened last time?"

The sorrow and pain from that quintant and all the other quintants after settles on his warmed heart and freezes it cold, causing him to shiver and burrow closer into Shiro and his warmth.

"Not yet."

He's quiet for a tick before his prosthetic is combing through his hair again, "Okay. You can talk when you're ready. But ...I very much like you Lance."

Lance leans out from under Shiro chin to look up astounded at what he said, because yes actions can speak louder that word, but its still great to hear them.

"I – I like you a lot too," Lance answers, "You're returning my feelings." He tacks on and it sound wild even to his ears.

But Shiro just smiles down graciously before placing a gentle kiss on his cheek, just below his sïqę having Lance sigh happily.

"Yes, I am returning your feelings."

Lance stares into those tender eyes and can't understand why he didn't say anything earlier. He had never felt this great before and he just knew it would never happen again. He's sure that Shiro had definitely ruined him for any one else and Lance was perfectly okay with that.

"You should walk me to my room." Lance says sweetly.

Shiro just smirks and replies, "I'll walk you to your room."

 

Their nightly ritual took a lot longer than usual as they may have stopped to make-out a few - seven - times on the way to Lance's room. But just being able to now have the choice to kiss Lance's soft and inviting lips Shiro couldn't stop himself. And neither could Lance, as he was also a culprit for them stopping, using his superstrength to gently push him into a wall and kiss up into his mouth leaving Shiro effectively breathless.

When they finally reach Lance's room Shiro feels the cold reality of what he might have just agreed to by coming in with the prince.  
   
"You could sleep with me." Lance says sweetly with a genuine smile.

But the way he is peering up from underneath his eyelashes giving him a coquettish look and his lips bruised red has Shiro rethinking the quick 'nothing will happen' speech he gave himself because Lance looks down right deliciously. But Shiro didn't just jump into beds and he really didn't want to because he wanted to cherish Lance, but he was pushing Shiro morals with that look.

"I'll take the couch Lance." He says softly and hopefully not like a rejection as he creates some distance between them.

"It's just that - nevermind." Lance says as he looks rebuffed and lets his hands fall from his shoulders and takes a step back.

"Hey," Taking both of Lance's hands in his and dipping his head down to look at him, "What?"

"I just want you to be really well-rested and while it works for me it might not for you, but I like it when I can sleep with someone, just sleep. I'm just trying to be there -" Lance explains and Shiro sees how he was the only one reading this situation wrong.

"I'm sorry I thought - I just wanted this to move at a slower pace and didn't think of everything," The irony of war and the lack of time is not lost on him, "But I would still say no because I don't want to burden you if, if something happens tonight." 

Shiro wants to hope that this moment will stop any nightmares, but with his luck it won't and he doesn't want to hurt Lance if its one of the more violent ones.

Then there's a soft hand on cheek and making him look up, "I know that, but I want to help you lighten that load. Will you let me?" Lance ask quietly as he steps back into his space.

"Yes." And there is no hesitation from him.

He leans in for another kiss, considerably less intense that the last one, but still very passionate that leaves them panting and wanting for more.

Lance leans against his chest and says quietly, "I was serious about that bed offer."

"And I was serious about the couch." 

Shiro watches as Lance pouts and puffs out his cheeks out. "Why are you responsible? Can't you be a rogue for once?" Lightly hitting him in the arm.

"Its just not in me," Shiro says in a chivalrous tone before leaning down the short distance to kiss his forehead.

"Hmm. Well I like that about you and I have great authority about this so I guess it's fine." Lance decides looking up with a soft smile painting his rosy lips.

"Thank you my Prince." Shiro replies teasingly before giving him another kiss by the edge of his lips and then letting Lance walk off to get him a blanket and pillow for the couch.

 _Now I'm actually looking forward to tomorrow._


	19. Castle Vlog (Coran)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He had been with the current royal family since before they were a family and he had watched them grow and learn, and of course given them wisdom when they needed it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally got one in about Coran, but I don't know if its as good as my last vlogs.
> 
> So Altean aging is done in sets of ten so when there in a intermediate age like 143 it 3 of 14. It will go up to 9 of whatever number before it's just the ten's number ei. (8 of 14, 9 of 14, 15, 1 of 15)

"Unbelievable! He couldn't have possibly know that exact spot wasn't giving full power. Obviously a coincidence!" Coran mutters viciously to himself as he checks the calibrations one last time.

Fixing the spot that Slav had damaged surprisingly showed Coran how some of the couplings weren't completely working at full power and in a way it was true that the likelihood of their endeavor had been boosted with this fix. Not that he would tell that crazy Bytor he was right. Coran very much like his machines without rock dents.

So engrossed with looking at his pad he was shocked again, twice in one day.

Shiro was gently embracing Lance and kissing him.

Coran's first reaction was to hide behind one of the spire of the concentric walkway. Secondly and sadly, he listened in to what was happening. Coran's not sure how long it went on for, but when they finally break apart – and he can hear something that wasn't moans – they speak in soft tones.

"I don't think I read this wrong but..." He hears Shiro trail off, almost hesitantly, which was humorous given the circumstances.

But Lance comes in with an answer, "I feel I should be asking that," He says with a short laugh, "I don't have the best record with putting my heart out there. And this definitely didn't happen last time."

"What happened last time?" Shiro ask in concern and Coran frowns at the prince's silence before he remembers what Lance is referring to.

"Not yet." Lance answers quietly and full of sorrow.

"Okay. You can talk when you're ready. But ...I very much like you Lance." 

"I – I like you a lot too. You're returning my feelings." Lance sounds surprised and very happy if not a bit confused.

The next sound Coran hears is a happy little sigh before Shiro is saying, "Yes, I am returning your feelings."

"You should walk me to my room." The prince says sweetly to which Shiro replies, "I'll walk you to your room." 

Coran peaks around the spire and watches as Shiro take Lance's hand and they walk out hand in hand. It has his mustache twitching in concern as not only his loyalty to the Crown, but his own protected nature towards the prince flares up because a royal walking off to their room in the company of someone they were not engaged to was taboo. Though this would be one of many actions Lance had perpetrated and it honestly meant nothing to him. Coran wanted to march after them, but thought better of it as he reviewed all the facts. Until a few quintants ago Coran didn't even know that the prince saw the Black Paladin that way. The gallant kiss in the Blue Lion's bay shocked him something fierce only for Allura to say this had been a thing she'd noticed since Arus when Shiro was tasked with protecting Lance. It was just secretive looks and moments when they stood too close, but apparently something had changed.

_I would say it had definitely changed again too._

He likes to think he can read people fairly well and Shiro's character – its one in a star system – was quiet exemplary in leading as well as being personable in his own way that struck a great bond with anyone. He's a good fellow and deep down Coran knows that Shiro wouldn't break Lance's heart. But he knows the prince much better and how he would jump into things without thinking and landing himself in situations, so if their was any trouble it might come from Lance. And to that disparaging thought – despite how happy Lance looked as he left this was war and relationships started during a war weren't ones that always stood the test of time. But it could have been the same thing with a less reputable person Coran supposes. He had seen tons of those less than worthy types try to vie for the prince and princess's attention and would sometimes have to step in to save them during those time. And for that reason mostly Coran wanted to protect the young prince.

_But..._

But, this has to be the happiest he had seen Lance in a long time. The Ancients knows he needs it. With his wild spirit being confined as it was back on Altea it did nothing for him but land him in trouble. He was such a good lad, a great son, and wonderful brother — But Lance just wasn't cut out to be royalty all the time. While Allura thrived in those moments Lance soured. But now Lance was allowed to have more leeway in his behavior and he was thriving and more friendly then he had ever been. It was always hard for the second child to be seen and Coran can attest he had been harder on the prince when he was younger. But Coran is thankful he soon saw what the other stewards of the household thought was rebellion in Lance was just the prince being himself. And now in the midst of the worst of this ongoing war Lance had found some light. He had true friends again and Coran sees Allura and him acting young again in less times of peril, which was a joy and sometimes a burden to his ~~old~~  young-ish heart. And now, apparently, he's falling in love too. So Coran looks the other way and works on his last tests before resting himself.

_Lance deserves it._

* * *

* * *

_Back before schedule. The mission must have gone very well._

Coran muses as something blue twinkles in the afternoon sky letting Coran know that Alfor had requested a Teladuv gate. As he waited the two doboshes it took for the Red Lion to all but speed through the atmosphere he recounted to himself what he needed to brief the king on.

_The meeting with the Order of Infrastructure is tomorrow. There's the counsel meeting two quintants from now. And lab five is fix after the ..... my explosion._

Coran thought wearily, because it was a complete accident where he did a less than stellar job of teaching the royal heirs the importance of – ironically – lab safety. Thank the Ancients that Lance saw and shielded them from the blast while Allura had taken care of the evidence, quoting 'If father doesn't know it was us than its fine'.

But Coran decided to finally come clean, after two phoebs, but all his thoughts were dashed when the Red Lion's mouth opens and Alfor comes running down the ramp cradling his son in his arms. Coran was shocked as the prince's Defender armor was completely gone from his left thigh and in place was a set of gnarled stitches at least into the hundreds. Usually Lance would come back without any injuries or very minor ones that were easily fix with no scarring like the other Paladins, but this wound, this wound may very well cost the prince his leg.

"Guards! Tell the surgeons to prep for the removal of foreign objects from the Prince and to ready a pod for a severe wound!" Coran shouts at the nearby guards at the hanger doors.

They run off ahead of them as Coran runs up to Alfor and they briskly walk to medical. It's a tense forty-five doboshes, but soon the surgeons are briefing the king on the prince's health as Coran stands in front of the pod where Lance is resting.

"Oh my boy you've done it now. What were you thinking?" Coran whispers at the glass, "You were probably thinking it would be fun, exciting, and you would help people." He can only shake his head and sigh in dismay.

"My Prince there has to be a better way than this for..."

_Everything._

As the door closes Coran turns around to see Alfor slowly walking up to his son's left and Coran notices that he was still in his Paladin armor having no time to change.

"They said that his leg will be fine and that no infection was seen. He should be under for about four quintants and it's very likely it will scar, but not cause any issues with moving." Alfor says lowly.

Coran watches as his king's fists clench tightly as he gazes at his son with wretched look before shaking his head.

"I was foolish to not make either of the pods medical ones. I could only put him in and hope the hibernation setting would stall the bleeding....." Alfor pauses before looking to him with a hollow gaze, "He saved me Coran. He saw the beast before I did and knock me out of the way and pushed it back off the cliff with a shield, but his sides weren't covered and one of its spiked tentacle made a grab for him. I managed to cut it off, but it was already too late and there was so, so much blood..... And when we were trying to get back to the Lions after we destroyed the warlord's base he was bleeding out from the stitches and still found the energy to tell us we could just call the Lions to us. Even from the moon we hid them on. That we had that deep of a connection to them. And you know what, it worked." Alfor stops again to give a self-deprecating smile as he stares at the floor, "The Lions came to us and I was able to call for a gate to get us here —"

Alfor cuts himself off as he lays his arm against the glass and leans into it before giving a world-weary sigh, "If he hadn't stowed away I would be dead, but he also wouldn't be in pain. I should have stopped this after the first time."

"Sometimes thinking about the 'what if' creates more problems than the original." Coran says quietly, but he too was also thinking the same thing about Lance's actions.

He reaches out slowly to rest a comforting hand on the back of his king to steady him in this time of turmoil and trying to be here for his friend. He thought of the prince as a nephew in many ways and was also disappointing in himself for not saying anything to Lance either. These rash actions would seem idiotic to most, but Lance wasn't by any means, honestly he was quite intelligent and a very creative thinker. Lance's downfall was that he craved the open expanses of space more than leading court and had an unquenchable need for adventure regardless how small. This incident could have been so much worse, but it wouldn't matter to Lance as he would likely not stop hitching rides with the Paladins, mostly Blaytz who encouraged his involvement with their missions, anytime soon until he was made to in a way that he decided to stop for himself.

It was unsurprising that evening meal for the royal family was especially solemn with the one spot at the table not set. Coran observes them from his spot by the door and can feel the tension rise as the meal goes on in silence. It continues to rise higher and higher until Allura slams her fork down with a clatter and stands up, looming over her parents.

"Is this it? Are we not going to talk about this latest stunt among many?!" The princess angrily spouts, "You let this happen again and again with no punishment and you wonder why he keeps doing it. Why are you holding him to a lower standard!?"

"Sweetstar we aren't doing that. He is held to the same standard as you. Just the expectations of getting to that point are different." Irrvai says gently.

"It doesn't seem like it to me. Anytime he could Lance has made it his want to leave and you let him, giving him what he wants like the spoil child he is. You could confined him to the Castle but you won't because you don't want to! Why? Did something like this have to happen to tell you this needed to stop?"

"Allura. Yelling at your mother is not appropriate. I understand you are upset, but yo—" 

"Upset? Upset?! I'm furious! He has no rules. Nothing that, that, that — I don't want him to die!" The princess screams at the top of her lungs as she pushes away from the table and runs pass him.

Coran watches her turn left before the doors close behind her and spins around to the small table to he sees two distraught parents instead of two invincible royal figures dealing with this outcome. Alfor is slumped in his seat, elbows propped up on the table and his forehead resting on his folded hands. Irrvai's chin is ducked into her neck as she fiddles with her dress' extra lengths of fabric.

"My King. My Queen. Are you okay?" Coran ask softly - already knowing the answer, but was hoping it would bring come reprieve to them.

Irrvai looks over with a woebegone smile that has Coran frowning back, "Coran she won't want to see us yet, but could you..." And she trails off as she reaches out for Alfor and he takes the offered hand.

"Of course my Queen." Coran replies and bows.

It doesn't take him long to find the princess as his job is to know about the royal family and at this point he might as well be a yalmor with a nose just for them. Coran follows his intuition to the higher levels of the Castle and finds Allura staring out from a balcony, one of many that become viewing deck if the Castle was ever in flight.

"Allura?" Coran tries to say, but barely does the princess' name leaves his mouth does she spin around to face him with a dreadful scowl.

"It isn't fair Coran. How they act like something isn't happening. That he's able to act all out and have no consequences."

"You know that is not true."

"Isn't it?" Allura sneers.

Sighing quietly Coran takes the conversation in a different direction, "Do you remember when you joined your brother on one of his walks in the city and you two were caught by some of the knights and a steward. She praised you for being responsible in following your brother while saying he was being reckless by leaving without his guards again," Allura's eyes widen with understanding before turning her gaze to the floor, "It seems to be a matter of point of view if I may say so and you are being to quick to judge."

"Well at this point I don't care. He needs to be safe and I'd settle for him being attached to someone off planet to get him to stop." Allura spitefully replies.

Coran stands straighter at that because as an attendant to the Crown he knows that the walls have ears and such a crass statement like that, if someone hears and reports it to their lord it could be disastrous. He listens for a bit but when he doesn't hear anyone moving he focuses his attention back on the princess.

"You don't mean that do you Princess?" He ask cautiously.

Allura folds her arms and looks steadfast in her statement until she sighs heavily and looks over miserably, "No. I don't. I just — I know what you're saying is true. He's good and sometimes nobody sees that. They just see the faults and how he's not good at anything. Maybe not at everything, but he won't stop trying to he gets it right and he keeps all the small details in check and he wants what's best for the people, but also for himself. I, I don't think I ever thought about more than becoming the best leader and a great Queen for Altea. I don't have many hobbies and only a few friends. I've never even... been in love. Ha, Coran I might be jealous of his freedom."

 _The irony is that Lance has said something similar regarding you._ _It seems that what seems freeing to one is shackles to another._

"It's alright it's natural." He says gently as he walks over to stand next to the princess.

"Maybe I can talk to him or something. Just... he's off planet so much now or somewhere else it's hard to get a hold of him when I'm also free." Allura says as she leans on to the banister.

Coran does give a short chuckle at that knowing how she feels, "He does not stick around if he has too. Especially when going to Daibazaal, Oh! Just last pheob he had me pack a whole movement in advance freaking out that he would forget something."

Allura smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes.

"I don't like it when he goes there." She says softly.

"Where?" Coran questions.

"Daibazaal." She says, hissing some of the syllables.

"Why Allura. They're our allies, the next closes after the Dalterion Belt. And he's been going of 0.8 years." Coran asks confused to why the princess feels this way.

"It doesn't feel right in that castle, if you call that fortress a castle. Lance is the authority on feeling quintessence, but it just feels wrong to me and I don't like him being there alone." Allura surmises as she continues to watch the sunset.

"I'm sure it will be okay. The prince is good at reading people." Coran tries, but Allura does not look convinced.

"Yes, a fact he hasn't stopped saying to me. But this time I think he's wrong." 

Coran looks to her and can see, can tell, there's something else there in her statement, but Coran knows it's not his place to ask.

"I'm sorry to bore you with my worries." The princess apologizes as she leans off the banister, looking calmer than when she stormed off from evening meal.

"It's not a problem Princess. I'm fairly sure it's in the description somewhere after 'fantastic yalmor wrangler' and 'greatest mechanic', but before 'super bargainer' there is 'master of royal woes'." Coran says cheerfully witha hint of boasting.

But it gets Allura to laugh so he is pleased, "Coran you always know what to say."

"That's why my main title is adviser." He faux whispers causing her to shake her head in disbelief.

"It is well-earned," Allura smiles up at him before a smirk takes it's place, "Though that super bargainer title... I'm sure father might have something to say about that."

Coran makes an affronted noise at that and tries to defends his honor to the laughing princess as he walks her back to her parents. 

                                                                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"The final matter today involves the royal heirs. Specifically Prince A'lanor." Lord Elrgi says drolly.

"And what might that be?" Alfor asks, but already looks bored at whatever Elrgi has to say.

"We would like to propose that he be kept under stricter rules." He replies as he send the rest of the counsel the list he had written up on the prince's actions.

Irrvai doesn't even glance at the document before stating, "The Prince is lawful."

"Is to laws and traditions when he wants to be seen in a good light. Because despite his reckless behavior he seems to still have a moral compass... if I may say so sire." Lord Ciana says simultaneously being bold and cowering.

Alfor give them a look of contempt at that and everyone looks away, perfectly abashed by the stare and Coran can tell this meeting's doboshes will need to be clear of his little quips that make the royal couple smile as this topic is still sensitive since Allura's outburst two quintants earlier.

"And what is it you propose on my son?" Alfor asks dryly with his lips drawn into a thin line.

It is silent as the five members trade looks before Elrgi rolls his eyes and says, "Marriage."

**_"Well at this point I don't care. He needs to be safe and I'd settle for him being attached to someone off planet to get him to stop."_ **

"Oh no." Coran whispers as he thinks back to Allura's passionate statement.

_But there's no way to know if someone heard. It might just be a coincidence._

The queen gasps as the king sits up straighter looking stonefaced at the rest of the lords and ladies.

"You want to marry him off?" Irrvai as monotonously, though her face starts to cloud over in anger.

"That is what he's here for." Lady Trewil says.

Irrvai turns her fiery stare at her and Trewil immediately looks away and the queen looks to the rest of table with a glare that could possibly burn the whole room down.

"Yes, his birth was for the horrible case we lost Allura or to create a stronger bond with a nearby system, but he is more than that now and has been more personable with our citizens then the Crown has been in years and you want to denote him back to his reasons of birth. He doesn't need you labeling him as only one thing and making him change. Placing him in a marriage as a way of discipline and corralling will not do anything good for him. Other options can and will be taken."

If Coran could he'd applaud, but settles for a head nod in the queen's direction which she returns with tilting her head up.

"I am just saying despite him growing from his original purpose he is losing control. I mean he is in the medbay for not only foolishly leaving with the Paladins for a record twenty-second time, but has gotten grievously injured in the process." Elrgi states unpersuaded. 

"I would be dead if not for my son's interference." Alfor defends his son's actions.

"King Alfor, we may be saying this in a way that seems negative to you, but we wants what's best for your family and the planet. We have already agreed to you leaving on these dangerous missions. Security in other aspects in the likelihood of your untimely death because of them would benefit us all." Lady Arici speaks up, her soft tones making the idea sound like a good idea.

_Yeah, like a Muldok wants what's best for a Quezltac and it's for the Quezlta to be in the it's stomach._

"Then tell me why you are trying to make us feel guilty about how we raise our children?" Irrvai spits and silence follows as no one is willing to answer her question.

Lady Arici tries to change the topic in a desperate attempt to not have the rest of the meeting in dense quiet.

"The original proposal was that Prince A'lanor marry Prince Ezl Tebi, the third offspring and first son of Trigel's second mate, Nazr of Elika Pass. Not only would it benefit our standing relationship with the Cervis, but a marriage to a lower standing member in the royal family would grant the Prince with the freedom to be more of himself away from the view public."

"The public loves him and you know it." Irrvai hisses as she narrows her eyes at the other lady.

The meeting goes on like this for the next fifteen doboshes and as Coran documents it he looks over to where Irrvai is strongly defending against the proposal, but Alfor looks to be in deep thought, as if he was thinking it over.

 

"Alfor you can't be serious?!" Irrvai shouts after the doors closes behind Coran leaving him stuck in their sitting room with a brewing storm.

"It might be the only way. I am grateful to him for saving my life, but not at the cost of his own. This might be a way to grant him some freedom he so desperately needs." Alfor reasons as he walks to one of the chairs.

"And assigning him to an invisible prison is? I doubt he will ever see this as anything but us shipping him off so he's not our problem or something. And let's not talk about the anxiety he would feel at that, what about not letting him enjoy and explore the chances of love like we did." Irrvai fires back.

"I think you place too much emphase on love as you were very fickle with it when you were young. He seems to be the same, this would help with the heartbreak." Alfor throws out as he leans back in his chair and closes his eyes.

He misses Irrvai's eyes growing wide in shock and her mouth dropping - speechless - before her entire self changes to a wrathful aura causing Coran to as quietly as he can place the pad with the doboshes on a table and removing himself from this domestic situation.

He finds his king two vargas later in a guest room in the complete opposite direction of the royal chambers.

"I see you are in the yupper's house." Coran observes as Alfor is hunched over a small desk looking at some pads.

"She was a flirt just how A'lanor is. She can see where I'm coming from." Alfor mumble in lieu of a 'hello'.

And while Coran did know what Alfor was talking about as he was present for his attempts of courting the, at the time, elusive Lady Irrvai he wasn't sure he should agree with that.

"And I'm not saying it's wrong. Was I jealous, yes. But was it wrong, no. She didn't do it maliciously. It was to have everyone involved feel good about themselves, but not everyone gets that. I have heard from other dignitaries' that they have caught him flirting or even kissing their daughters and sons at the past few balls." Alfor continues to himself.

"You're going to agree with the counsel over the Queen." Coran surmises knowing that Irrvai wouldn't just throw Alfor out for only bringing up her past flirtations.

Alfor stops muttering to himself and leans back in his chair to look sadly at Coran, "Yes. For his own safety. In time he will forgive me, but it's time he starts to settle down more in the terms that he can't live his life as an adventure. And if that means he has to settle down with a partner, than so be it."

"He's just turn nine of sixteen Alfor." Coran says trying to get him to reconsider.

"And he'll be seventeen come next winter when the wedding would be set Coran." Alfor replies sternly, "I don't want to, believe me, but I can't keep watching him put himself in danger to travel the stars. With this he can do it safely can live a life that is slightly akin to an average person has not royal."

_But he won't be a Paladin like he wants._

"I don't believe you're making the right decision." Coran says gravely and Alfor stops and places the pad he was signing down to look at him with a blank stare.

"I know. I wouldn't want this either, but it's mine decision and right now it's the best. I will deal with the consequences, but this isn't up for debate anymore." He says with finality and Coran dismisses himself from the room and goes to Red Lion's hanger to check on the diagnostics. He needed to do something with his hands less he think about the fall out that will go through the royal family at this.

Things aren't finalized until two movements later when Lance and Allura are on a well-visit to their colonies a system over. The queen and one other member voted 'no' while the king and the other four voted 'yes'. Discussion with Chief Trigel start quickly and run smoothly, with their planets close ties and similar values. And in knowing that they make allowances such as Alfor agreeing to Trigel's proposal to 40% of their asteroid field on the outside of the system for mining propose and Alfor asking for one of the Belt's small planetoids to terraform for more food for their colonies. Trigel even brings up that Lance would be her son's only spouse and if Prince Ezl Tebi in anyway tries to add more to the marriage it can be annulled without any loss of other promises. Which was very considerate since most Cervis of the Belt had at least two spouse with their chief having caught the eye of two beautiful woman and two handsome men. And Prince Ezl Tebi was know for his charity work and was viewed well in public opinion and only a small age difference between, but that doesn't mean much when Lance is told.

                                                                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Evening meal." Coran calls out cheerfully into the dimly lit room. It takes some acrobatics on his part, but he manages to balance the tray and turn the lights up.

"Urgh! Coran I don't want to talk." Comes the anger muffled response from the huddled mass of blankets.

But Coran is not deterred as he sets the tray on the prince's vanity, "I'm just here to serve evening meal."

"There are servants for that. You're an adviser, not a chef. It's not in your job description." Lance grumbles.

"Yes, but I do care regardless, and I want you to be happy. Bottling up your emotions like that could make you explode like a pufferfowl when scared to death."

The blankets snicker briefly, "Gross."

"Was that a laugh I heard?" Coran asks jovially as he looms over the blankets that had started to squirm as the prince tried to escape his cocoon and doom.

"No!"

"I'm sure it was."

And Lance's white hair is just visible before Coran begins his attack. He tickles him until Lance rolls out onto the other side of his bed in a fit of gasping giggles. When the prince finally stands up Coran can see he is already in his pajamas, but tonight he had decided on shorts and Coran could see why Allura suggested marriage and Alfor thought he was making the right decision. Just seeing the scar; starting high up on his thigh it stretches from there down to behind his knee cap on his left leg and was about seven h'qell wide at the middle of the scar. It made Coran cringe.

His look of distress must show on his face as Lance props his leg up on the bed so Coran could see it better, which only serves to make his face to twist more. 

"Pretty impressive right? They say I'm lucky it only went so deep and that the stitches Gyrgan and Blaytz put in weren't infectious or I might have gotten a new leg." He's with a lackadaisically smile that just screams that he doesn't care about the issue, but Coran can see through that cool smile and see that they didn't match with his hollow eyes.

"I am glad it wasn't anything worst and you are lucky that this is all you got from your adventures. My Survey Leader always said to leave the footprints of your travels and return with only the memories in tow, not to leave blood splattered all over the indigenous plants." He says in a light rebuke and has Lance smirking at him.

"I'm not surprised you were a Survey boy. And if you must know, I am a visionary. Didn't you know that Royal Adviser Coran Hieronymus Wimbleton Smythe?"

"Yes," Coran says with a lazy draw, "I've seen that many times Prince of Altea A'lanor Caelum Ubriel Tega Soliz and more than half the time I am not impressed."

"Still means your impressed," Lance answers with a wink, "So what was so important that you probably bully some poor servant out of their job to talk to me about?"

"I wouldn't go so far as to say bullying. More like gently reminding him that my status was higher than his."

Lance smiles widely as he shakes from holding in a laugh and climbs back on the bed and pats the edge for Coran to sit down on.

"Okay not bullying, but what did you want to talk about even though I can already guess."

Coran smiles sadly at that, but nods his head, "Yes, well, I want to hear your side."

"What does it matter I'm going to stuck in it anyway, it's my duty." Lance shrugs as he reaches into the folds of his blankets and pulls out the stuffed tsidii from Chief Trigel and starts brushing down its fluffy wings.

"Is that it?"

"Well I can't leave it can I," Lance says dismissively as he folds into himself more, "It is why I'm here and I don't want to let them down. I've gone through the documents for it and while it would make our ties stronger and nothings wrong with them I don't want to. But I can't change that. It's not fair either for them to do this without asking. Coran," And he pauses to look straight into his eyes, his gaze serious, "I like being out there. It's not that I don't love it here, it's just that I don't belong here all the time. I can be a Prince when I need too, but sometimes I wish I could shut it off for a time. Like when I'm with the Paladins or out in the cities." He says lowly as he looks away just feed up with it all.

"It's just not fair, even though I knew it could, would happened I just — but, but what if I liked someone else?" Lance rambles over his thoughts quietly.

Coran's ears perk up at that and ventures, "Do you because —"

Lance's eyes widen with fear as he looks up and scrambles to close the short distance and grab Coran's shoulders in a painful grip, "No! I can't — there isn't any one else!" 

But the way he's clutching his shoulders and the frighten and embarrassed look of being found out about something tells Coran differently. But he wouldn't pry so he changes the subject because if the prince's face gets any redder he might pass out.

"They and I want what best for you. Have you thought what this may mean for the other prince he's in the same position?"

"Yeah without all of the 'crimes....'," But then Lance seems to have an epiphany that has him flopping backwards onto his bed and groaning into his hands, "By the Ancients I'm sentencing him to this because of me."

Coran sighs and shakes his head at the dramatics, "You're not sentencing anyone to anything, he would be lucky to have you. Have you even talked to him?"

Lance rolls around until he sitting on his knees, reaching to fiddle with the stuffed animal before he answers Coran's question quietly.

"Only in passing at balls. He does a lot of good work at the outer bound colonies and was even allowed to study to become a doctor. And I know he likes to climb. Apparently his father is from a mountainous region and would take him there a lot."

"See. It's not the best situation, but you might not be wrong to call him up and try talking to him."

"But what if he doesn't like me?" Lance whispers as he stops to look at the bird in his hands.

"Why wouldn't he?" 

Lance doesn't answer him immediately and Coran tilts his head down to try and catch the prince's eyes, but he simply turns his head away. 

"Lance you are a fantastic person and I wish we didn't hold you to a standard. I still apologize for that." He says quietly as he places a hand over the prince's.

"It's fine," Lance says softly before looking up with a side smirk and melancholy eyes. The same look Coran sees when people compared him to his family, "I mean how could I ever be better than Allura, I mean even my parents are amazing."

"And you are too." Coran tries, but Lance shakes his head before he can finish saying it.

"But I won't. I won't be remembered like them for great heroic feats or diplomatic prowess it will be for the gossip and the tales of 'wild teen rebellion' end with 'they were fed up and married him off'."

"You aren't," And Coran pulls the insecure prince in for a hug, "You'll be remembered as the second child who sponsored trauma and PTSD recovery, for funding the construction of two colonies, for being the greatest alchemist in known history, and above all else you will be remembered for loving your family and doing the best for them. You are great."

Coran looks down as he speaks these encouraging words over Lance and watches as a small wobbly smile fights to stay on his lips through out it all.

"If you make me cry before I call Ezl Tebi I'm going to be super mad." Lance says with a wet chuckle as he wipes away the tears collecting in the corner of his eyes.

"Well I'm doing something right." He replies before leaning away to grab some tissues on the vanity and passes the box to Lance, who takes it with a grateful smile,

"Thank you Coran."

He nods respectively and waits. But after a few ticks Coran gives Lance a look that has the prince trying to turn away from, "You didn't say it."

"Coran." He pleads, but Coran simply narrows his eyes at the prince.

Lance looks physically pained before saying slowly, "I, I am a good person with great characteristics. I'm awesome at being me."

Coran smiles and pats Lance on the back, "There we are."

"You know I do say this." He grumbles as he shuffles to the edge of the bed to get up.

"Saying it with bravado and saying it with conviction are two different things." Coran says as he helps him up.

"Sometimes I hate it when you're right." Lance gives him a lopsided, but true smile.

He makes his way over to his couch - stopping and starting as he psychs himself up - and turns on the galactic communicator. It take a few ticks, but soon the face of Chief Trigel's third child appear on the translucence screen.

"Savos Teg, Ezl Tebi." Lance starts with the Cervis greeting.

"Ah A'lanor, Savos Teg. I was meaning to call you soon before I remembered the time difference." He replies softly.

"Great minds think alike?" Lance offers.

"I would like to think so A'lanor. Or should I call you Lance?" And could Coran detect a bit of suave charm in the Cervis royalty's voice.

"Either is fine, I was hoping to talk with you about our engagement."

"Well I prefer Lance. It's more down to earth and I would not mind if you just called me Ezl."

Lance looks surprise as he usually had to ask people multiple times to call him by his nickname. Prince Ezl Tebi's comment gets a small smile and Lance's sïqę flushing.

"Okay Ezl." He says softly.

Coran can see his presence isn't need anymore and bring Lance his dinner tray before turning to leave.

"So what did you want to talk about concerning our engagement?"

"Well honestly your true feelings about it, but maybe we could start on something calmer like interests."

"We can do both it was quite a shock so I don't mind talking about it." Prince Ezl Tebi replies with a soft smile.

Lance looks over before he leaves and sends him a grin. Coran smiles and nods at the prince leaving him to get acquainted with his fiancé.

                                                                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_It truly is a wonderful quintant._

Coran usually uses his breaks to check in on other workings of the Castle of Lions, but every so often he would let himself relax and take a stroll through the maze garden. Enjoying how the winding expanses would force his loud mind to quiet for a time. He had just happen to be walking pass the whistling mellows when he heard other voices. Other familiar voices. Any other time Coran would make himself scarce, but the prince had been acting more suspicious as well was slowly, but surely filling his schedule for next year and surprisingly none of the trips or functions he was making plans for included anytime on Daibazaal. When Irrvai and he had been reviewing part of the schedule she had asked Lance about that and he had stared back blankly and said he can't always be running off on his own whim. It seems that while the counsel's plan to have Lance settle more into his role had worked Irrvai was still not convinced and ask Coran to listen around for why her son had made such a change. Coran assumed that it was from his very sweet friendship he had formed with Prince Ezl Tebi. 

Pressing as close as he could Coran finds himself half in the hedge and barely able to see them through the branches and leaves, but he's able to hear the conversation clearly.

"Lance can't you just tell me what is bothering you? I know it isn't the regional meetings with the colonies or the center. And it can't be the wedding anymore. You and Ezl Tebi have formed such a great rapport and he very much dotes on you." Allura say in a mix of comfort and annoyed, the way only a sister could.

"I know Allura, I just don't know if I should tell you or say anything now." Lance replies shyly.

"You can't pull me away from my work to say you have a secret and than decide not to tell me!" Allura screeches frustrated and Coran can see her hitting Lance in the shoulder multiple times, "I will make it a royal decree that your guards tell me what is going on."

"No!" Lance squeaks.

"So tell me!" Allura yells back before her voice goes soft, "Please. Lance you look uncomfortable at the most random times and mother is definitely expecting something is off."

"Okay. Okay. Alright."

And Coran can make out the prince and the princess sitting down on a stone bench before Lance whispers something so fast that Coran can't pick it up and apparently neither could the princess.

"What?"

"I said I kissed Zarkon on my last trip." Lance says slowly.

A dense silence perminates the area and all the changes to Lance's character start make sense; his outburst six pheobs ago about there being no one else, his hot cold feelings and cagey reactions about going to Daibazaal, how he made more time for fiancé, and how he had asked Allura to become more involved with the wedding planning.

Coran is brought out of his thoughts and almost falls through the hedge in surprise when he hears skin hitting skin. 

Hard.

"Ow! I mean I deserve that but — OW!" Lance cries out, sounding genuinely hurt about the second slap.

"What possibly possessed you to do that?" Allura hisses, her voice full of venom and anger, "You can't think that —" 

"I know he won't give anything up for me - I don't know. Maybe I thought I could put everything to rest if I did.....I think he knew, but didn't say anything." Lance divulges pitifully, as if says the thoughts out loud made it sound more of a mess with each sentence.

Allura humphs and sounds very smug as she says, "I told you Zarkon was no good. He was leading you on."

"He probably didn't want to hurt my feelings." Lance defends the emperor.

"Probably likes being wanted." Allura quickly says after him, still sounding smug at her being right in this regard.

"Allura," Lance whines,"You said you would listen."

Coran hears a deep sigh from her before she says apologetically, "I'm sorry. You're right, I'll listen. What else?"

Hearing what he needed Coran quietly and quickly exits the maze, ready to tell the queen what he had heard. But making it to the top of the stairs Coran looks back to the garden maze and can just see the royal siblings sitting near the center and he feels his heart go out to them, especially Lance. Though young love will not always last, it is profound and this was something that should stay between them.

But the effects are still with the prince when Zarkon perishes just three pheobs later, something he took blame for along with the war as he told Alfor in a fit of rage that Honvera and Zarkon's deaths were because he told Zarkon about his empress' sickness and how he had been giving her his own power. But Alfor wouldn't hear it, telling his son it wasn't his fault, that Honvera knew the applications for much too long, testing it for years on different living subjects. And even if that was true it didn't stop Lance from taking the deaths of Queen Irrvai and Prince Ezl Tebi as his own personal failure as the war dragged on for eight intermediate years, something that seemed unheard of in their once peaceful systems. 

* * *

* * *

It didn't help that Lance would take the blame so easily as those deaths still seems to be a continuing toll on his heart - thinking he was the cause of all this pain. He had said something similar - voice hollow and eyes gazed and empty - when they were conducting their search for Shiro in the immediate aftermath of their battle. He hadn't followed the other Paladins out into space, he just stared at their search grid and seemed to shut down on himself. 

The prince is strong and will bounces back, Coran knows that, but not like before. Balancing a simply tray with a small bowl of goo and a water pouch Coran draws a circle into the wall he was standing in front of and from it a line goes through it, opening a secret door. Walking up the whining staircase and down the long halls of the hauntingly melancholy abbey he comes to a hidden viewing area that perfectly looks out onto the Black Lion's hanger.

Lance sits in the dark, the only light coming from the hanger, making the colors of his mourning robes striking in the faint light – clothes Coran had hoped the prince would never have to don again. He is sitting so still that Lance could almost be mistaken for a statue, similar to the ones in the parks they had depictions of the tales of lost or unrequited love. His long gray and pink bell sleeves almost seem to curl around him as his gray and white rimmed hood obscures his entire face. And Coran can just make out Lance holding the Black bayard as the muted light and black long sleeves of his undersuit blends in with it. It sits in Lance's loosely crossed legs as he ever so often lightly drags his fingers across it. As the adviser comes closer and kneels beside the prince he can see the continuous sluggish flow of tears from his red eyes down his cheeks. This was the twelfth quintant Lance had been like this with almost no change. He would wander about the halls ignoring any questions Coran or Allura would put forward, barely eating full meals, and when he wasn't in the mourning abbeys he was in the Blue Lion or sleeping on his couch, which he had taken up to sleeping there instead of the bed. Coran places the small tray down to the right of him knowing Lance will not want much of it now and sits besides his prince.

"Prince?" Coran asks after time, his soft voice echoing in the silent room.

He waits patiently to see if Lance will response to him this time and sadly he gets his wish.

"I'm cursed aren't I?" Lance says lowly, his voice dry from unused.

Coran can only turn to look at him and is shocked to see Lance looking up to him in sorrow — eyes dull, but shining with more unshed tears, cheeks rosy with color from crying, and his lip bitten and ripped through.

"I admit my feelings and they get taken away. I try to put myself out there, but I'm not meant to be happy. I cared about Zarkon, but he died and turned evil. I started to care about Ezl as a friend even though he already liked me. I was giving him a chance, but he was killed in the second siege. And now Shi—"

Coran can't take it anymore and gathers the young boy in a hug and feels him freeze up before sagging into the hold and crying into his jacket with wet sobs and gasping wails as the tears come faster. Coran knew this could continue for hours at this rate with them not becoming easily dehydrated.

"Why Coran! Why did he have to — we don't even know he's just gone. He's gone! And Black won't talk to me! They're completely silent and I just want to know what happened to him! Where, where did my Starlig— where did Shiro go?!" Lance sobs and he slides down out of his hold only to bend over the bayard and clutch it to his chest as the tears now pool in front of his legs.

"I just don't know Lance. I don't know." Coran offers softly as he lays a hand on his back and gently rubs circles into his back as his only comfort.

Lance cries mercilessly over the weapon and as Coran watches utterly helpless and his heart cracks at every sob and feels like it is being crushed under his own feelings of defeat for not protecting the prince in someway against this. But this was something Coran couldn't fix with sage advice or a witty comment, all he could do is be here for his prince, which only leads him to think of how the prince is the brightest star in the universe and yet he has no one to share his light with anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Readers,  
> Continue the story in the next part of the series, "And I am the Knight in Shining Armor."  
> Updates are Wednesdays and Sundays.


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